The Nature of Magic, Book Three: At Magic's End
by Firehawk242
Summary: The Classix have taken Eclipsis into the realm of Altivix in the hopes of destroying her magic. But, Eclipsis's son is loose on Earth while her daughter resides in Altivix itself. Can five girls succeed where even the original magic users could not?
1. Awakening in Altivix

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club. Trust me, if I did, little girls everywhere would be fleeing from their TVs in abject horror.**

**Hey all, it's back! And right on sched- Wait a minute! This isn't May! Artis, have you been messing with time again? You were bored? Really? That's your excuse? Well, I had plans for you this book anyways...**

**I originally planned to start publishing this, the third and final installment in the series, at the beginning of May. Then inspiration struck. Hard. So the publishing date got pushed up. **

**Welcome back to all my old readers, and welcome to any new readers. If you haven't read the first two books in the series, you should probably go do that before reading this, because recapping the story so far would probably eat up two full chapters. With that said, let's get started.**

Amelia slowly awoke. Where was she? She opened her eyes. Above her was the unworked stone roof of a cave. How had they ended up here? The last thing she remembered was her and her friends, Dhalia, Artis, Perdi, and Reyva, Jumping through the portal to Altivix with-

Amelia bolted upright. "Eclipsis!" She cried out.

"Are all of you going to shout that when you wake up?" A rather annoyed-sounding voice came from behind Amelia. "It's getting old."

Amelia turned to see an unfamiliar girl standing at the back of the cave. She was tall, maybe Reyva's height, with long brown hair that hung halfway down her back. Her dark brown eyes glanced at Amelia, then went back to watching the entrance. A sword hung from her belt, and a bag was on her back.

"Who are you?" Amelia asked.

"The Fairy of Night and- The Fairy of Night. That's all you need to know."

"She hasn't told us her name either." Perdi said. She and Dhalia were sitting against the wall of the cave, their weapons beside them. Reyva was stationed by the entrance, while Artis was still unconscious on the floor.

"How long do you think it will be until Artis wakes up?" Amelia asked.

"No idea." Dhalia said.

"And miss Fairy of Night here isn't answering any questions, is she?"

"Nope." Reyva said. She looked outside. There was no moon in the sky, but the stars were bright, casting a ghostly light over a bleak landscape. Dead grass and trees covered the area, and the ground was scarred from fire and acid. Dark shapes moved about, tearing into the already battered landscape.

"Eclipsis!" Artis shouted as she sat up abruptly.

"And that makes five." The Fairy of Night sighed.

"Who are you?" Artis asked.

"She's the Fairy of Night, and she won't tell you her name." Dhalia said.

"What happened?" Amelia asked.

"Hah. I'll tell you what happened." The unnamed fairy said. "Five idiots decided to bring a powerful spell, and a convergence at that, into Altivix. Were you trying to kill yourselves or are you just plain stupid?"

"What does that mean?" Perdi asked, feeling insulted.

"Don't you know anything about this place?"

"We know it can remove a person's magic." Artis answered.

"And that's all you know, isn't it?"

"...Yes." Artis answered.

"Why do I even bother?" The fairy asked herself almost theatrically. "You'll be dead in a week!"

"Bother with what?"

"Saving your lives of course. What, you thought the portal dropped you here?" She looked at the fairies. "I dragged you here, all five of you, so that you wouldn't get eaten." She turned to Reyva. "You were particularly difficult to carry."

"Thank you then, for saving our lives." Dhalia said.

"Try to do a better job of protecting yourselves in the future."

"What did you mean when you were talking about us bringing a powerful spell into Altivix?" Artis asked. "Is there something we should know about using magic here?"

"You." The fairy pointed at Dhalia. "You're a fairy of energy, right?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"I saw your wings when you first arrived. It was obvious."

"What's your point?"

"You can create light. Try to create a light. Not a big one, just a candlelight."

"Whatever." Dhalia focused energy into her palm, and it started to glow. "See?"

Then things went wrong. The glow turned into a spotlight, and Dhalia cried out. She quickly severed the flow of magic before the spell could completely drain her.

"What just happened?" She demanded.

"That's why using magic in Altivix is hard. The realm is hungry, demanding power. It will draw forth as much magic as it can from you. If you aren't careful, it will kill you."

"So that's why we passed out." Amelia said. "The spell we were using was already tapping most of our power, and when we reached Altivix..."

"Very good. You may survive yet."

"Is there a way to beat the magic draining effect?" Perdi asked.

"Control. More self-control than you can imagine. It takes years of practice."

"We don't have that long." Artis said. "We have to find Eclipsis."

"There has to be a way around this." Amelia said. "Something that will let us use our powers."

"Not that I know of." The fairy said. She pulled a piece of paper out of her bag. "Here. Follow this map. It will take you to Melivon."

"And Melivon is?" Dhalia asked.

"A town. And the only safe place in Altivix." The fairy said, handing the map over to Dhalia. She glanced outside. "The sun will rise soon. You should leave then."

"What about you?" Perdi asked.

"My business is my own." The fairy snapped.

"I just thought, maybe you could help us." Perdi said, trembling ever so slightly. Something about this fairy wasn't quite right.

"Well you thought wrong. I will not travel with you!" The fairy scowled at Perdi. "But... I will visit you at night." She relented.

"How will you find us?" Asked Reyva.

"I will." The fairy walked off into the night without a single backward glance. Just before she disappeared, Amelia thought she saw something under the fairy's hair shine in the starlight, but before she could get a good look, the girl was gone.

* * *

"I don't trust her." Artis said.

"Anyone else think she's hiding something?" Dhalia asked. Everyone's hand went up.

"I couldn't sense anything from her." Perdi said. "Maybe it's because I'm not used to the effect Altivix has on my telepathy, but I don't think so. I can still sense you girls, but her mind is hidden from me. She must have powerful mental shields."

"So what do we do about it?" Reyva asked.

"We follow her map." Dhalia said. "It's not like we have any other leads, and even if it is a trap, at least we'll learn something."

"Perdi, can you let us know if anything dangerous is coming for us?" Artis asked.

"I can try, but it's hard to focus right now." Perdi said. "It's like being caught in a crowd. I can hear everyone, but nothing makes sense."

"Amelia?" Artis turned to her friend. "What about you?"

"I can't sense anything. There's so much magic here that I can't make anything out."

"We'll have to be careful then." Dhalia said. "Who knows what lives here. Reyva, can you get our supplies?"

"I can try." Reyva said. "Stand back. Spacial Pocket!" Instead of the usual small opening just big enough to allow them to grab their gear, a massive hole in the universe opened, dumping their supplies on the floor of the cave.

"Leave the tents." Dhalia said. "If what that fairy said is true, the last thing we want to do is camp out in the open."

They quickly gathered up their gear into packs. Fortunately, food doesn't go bad while it's trapped in a pocket universe, so they had about a week's worth of supplies.

"We have to move quickly. The Winx can only hold off Eclipsis's son for so long."

"I don't think we should fly." Amelia said. "We don't know how Altivix will affect that, and we don't want to draw attention to ourselves."

"Agreed. We need to move fast, but we should also be careful." Said Dhalia. "Until we figure out a safe way to use our powers, let's try to keep our use of magic to a minimum."

"We should get moving." Artis said. "The sun is up and we have a long way to go before we reach this 'Melivon' place she mentioned."

"Alright Classix, let's get started." Dhalia said, hefting her pack. The girls began the long march.

* * *

"This place is nothing like Univix was." Artis commented. "Everything's so dead here."

Indeed it was. They'd gotten a glimpse of the wasteland in the starlight last night, but it was even more depressing in the day. The trees were dead, twisted and gnarled into unnatural shapes, scorched by fire, and burned by acid. The grass was brown and dead, and the landscape was heavily scarred by the beasts that roamed it. A thin haze covered the sky, casting a dreary light on an already dreary land.

"This isn't Univix." Amelia said bitterly. The effects of the realm were hammering her even harder than the others. A faint corona of magic covered her body at all times. "It's Altivix. This is where magic goes to die."

No one felt like talking after that. They continued marching.

* * *

The sun was directly above when Dhalia finally called for a halt. They stopped near a small pool of water. A large boulder sat beside it, a massive overhang offering a chance to get out of the murderous sun.

"We can rest here." Dhalia said. "Perdi, Amelia, I know you're having a hard time, but if you can sense anything, anything at all, that would be useful."

"I'm not finding anything." Amelia said. "There's just too much magic here."

"I can sense a little." Perdi said. "Most of the monsters seem to fear the sun. They're all hiding until nightfall. But there are a few still up and moving."

"Are there any near us?" Artis asked.

"Not really. Most of them seem to be several miles away. There is one that's a lot closer though. Maybe half a mile due north. It seems to be circling us."

"Let me try focusing my powers there." Amelia said, screwing up her face in concentration. Then she went pale. "I found it."

"And?" Dhalia asked.

"And it's a lot stronger than anything we've faced, except for Eclipsis."

"Good thing we're heading south east." Reyva said.

"Let's just hope we don't have to fight it." Dhalia said.

* * *

The sun was just beginning to set as the Classix crossed out of the wasteland and into a huge rock formation. Jagged boulders jutted up from the hard ground, and narrow winding passages between the rocks turned the place into a maze.

"Do we really have to go in there?" Perdi whined.

"I don't like it anymore than you do Perdi," Dhalia replied, "but that town is on the other side of it."

"I don't like it." Reyva said. "It's a perfect place for an ambush."

"It's getting late." Artis said. "Maybe we should try to find shelter for tonight and tackle this place tomorrow."

"Good idea. As Reyva said, this place would be perfect for an ambush, and we're all tired." Dhalia said.

"We need to find somewhere to rest." Amelia glanced around. "All I see is a bunch of solid walls."

"The sun is setting. We don't have time to look for something." Artis said.

"We could fly to the top of one of those boulders." Perdi suggested.

"Too risky." Dhalia replied. "Not only do we not know how well our wings work here, but it would also leave us in the open."

"Do you have another plan?"

"Yes actually." Dhalia stepped into a small clearing between two of the massive rocks. "Stand back girls." She turned to the rock face and pointed imperiously at it. "Kinetic Ripple."

At first nothing happened except for a slight sound like someone tapping a stone with their fingernail. Then the rock began to shatter and fly outwards as Dhalia's spell bored a hole through the stone. This continued for several minutes until Dhalia managed to sever the flow of magic, wobbling on her feet ever so slighty. When the dust cleared, the other Classix step forward.

The clearing was now full of pulverized rock and gravel. A large cave yawned before them where previously there had been nothing but a solid wall.

"What spell was that?" Perdi asked. "I've never seen you use it before."

"Kinetic Ripple." Dhalia said as she examined her handiwork. "Suitable for clearing out spiderwebs and shooting down flies. I use it to keep my room clean."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"We should make camp." Reyva said.

The five girls entered the cave as the last rays of sunlight faded from the sky.

**A/N: So, Altivix. Not a nice place. Before the Omega Dimension was created, this was where evil villains and powerful monsters were placed. The rules are very different here, and not just with regards to magic. The Classix must find Eclipsis and force her through the portal that leads back to the Magic Dimension before her son can destroy everything. The clock is ticking.**


	2. Beneath Moonless Skies

**Disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club. If I did, there'd be one, and only one, transformation per season.**

**It's good to be back everyone. I really do enjoy writing, and I enjoy this story. Even if it is a bit depressing at times. Okay, a lot depressing. But it's still interesting, and maybe it'll even work out in the end. Hopefully without adding too much to the story's already over-inflated body count. I _did_ start a pandimensional war... Oops.**

**This chapter has been pushed up a day to celebrate the total lunar eclipse that will be happening tonight. It seemed appropriate.**

**Let's get on with the story.**

Amelia sat staring into the small fire the girls had built near the mouth of the cave. The temperature was beginning to drop as Altivix gave itself over to the grip of night. Amelia shivered.

"Perdi, can you still sense that monster that was stalking us?" Amelia asked.

Perdi was sitting against the side of the cave with her back to the wall. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again. "No. It's gone." She closed her eyes again. "But other monsters are on the prowl right now."

A figure appeared in front of Amelia, seemingly formed from the shadows of the night.

"I see you're still alive." The Fairy of Night said, striding into their cave. "I'm surprised. Maybe you'll make it to Melivon after all."

"Oh, it's just you." Dhalia sighed with relief. She was absolutely exhausted from creating the cave they now rested within.

"Just me?" The fairy scowled at Dhalia. "That sort of thinking will get you killed."

"You've saved our lives." Artis said. "I doubt you'd kill us now."

"You might be surprised." The fairy growled, seating herself between the fire and the cave entrance.

"Anyways, I don't think we've properly introduced ourselves." Artis said. "My name is Artis, and I'm the fairy of time. These are Perdi, fairy of thought, Reyva, fairy of reality, Dhalia, fairy of energy, and Amelia, fairy of magic. We call ourselves the Classix."

"What are you doing here?"

The five girls looked at each other. Then Amelia began to speak.

"I was born without magic, but I didn't know it. I got my powers from a pair of earrings." The fairy stiffened slightly. "I found out about my lack of magic when one of them broke in a fight with a group of witches." The Fairy of Night was staring at Amelia intently now. "I learned that the only way to get my own powers was to make the journey through Univix. My friends here refused to let me make the trip alone, so they sacrificed their powers before we entered Univix."

"We passed three tests while in Univix." Dhalia said picking up the story. "Unfortunately, in the process, we released Eclipsis, the immortal queen of monsters, back into the Magical Dimension. She started a war between monsters and the various realms, killing thousands. Her ultimate goal was to break the seals which bound her son on Earth." Dhalia looked at her feet. "She succeeded."

"But," Amelia reclaimed the story, "I spoke with Allanya, the Lady of Magic. She said that if we can take Eclipsis through Altivix, it will remove both her magic and the magic from her son. She also recommended we find Eclipsis's daughter Sasha. Do you know where we can find her?"

"Allanya is a fool." The Fairy of Night snarled. "Pray that you never find Eclipsis's daughter Sasha. Few have ever met her and lived to tell the tale."

"But Allanya-" Amelia began.

"Is a fool. And a liar if she said Sasha can help you."

"Easy." Reyva put her hand on the bristling Amelia's shoulder. "Let's not have a fight here."

"None of you stand a chance against me anyways." The girl said.

"And how would you know what we can do?" Artis demanded.

"You're not the first Magix fairies I've seen and I doubt you'll be the last. None of you is as strong as I am."

"And why are you so strong?" Perdi asked in a placating tone.

"I've been here in Altivix for more years than I can remember. My magic has been forced to grow to keep up with the constant drain this world has on it." She looked around at the five girls before her. "Stay here long enough and your magic will get stronger too. If you survive that long."

"You don't look that old." Artis said. "You're not much older than I am!"

"Is that what you believe?" The fairy turned her dark eyes upon the fairy of time. "Then you know nothing of this realm or its powers."

"What does that mean?"

"You're a time fairy. Surely you must have felt it."

"I don't-" Artis paused for a moment, her eyes widening. "You mean-"

"Yes." The fairy said. "People don't age here. If you stay here in Altivix, your bodies will not age a day, no matter how much time passes."

"What about children?" Perdi asked. "Do they grow up here?"

"Yes, but it takes much longer. Most children are over one hundred years old by the time their bodies reach the age of sixteen."

"Were you born here?" Amelia asked.

"No."

"Then where-"

"None of your concern." The fairy snapped. She turned away from the Classix to stare out into the night. "Get some rest. I'll keep watch." The girl rose and walked out of the cave, her wings appearing in an instant. She leapt into the air and settled at the top of the rock accross from the cave.

"I still don't trust her." Artis said.

"She saved our lives." Perdi said.

"But why?" Amelia asked. "I agree with Artis. She's hiding something big."

"We should set our own watch." Dhalia said. "Reyva, can you take the first shift?"

"Of course." The big fairy said, hefting her hammer.

"I'm going to talk with our friend." Amelia said.

"Are you sure about that?" Dhalia asked. "You're the one this place is draining the most."

"I'm sure." Amelia stood. "Magix!"

(Cue really loud transformation music)

Amelia stood in her fairy form. The faint glow of magic that had surrounded her now blazed like a beacon. She took off, flying towards the mysterious fairy. Her flight was unsteady, but she managed to reach the top without crashing.

"You're an idiot."

"Hello to you too."

"You're glowing like a fire. Do you want to attract attention?"

"Sorry." Amelia turned back to her normal form.

"You're still glowing."

"I can't help it."

"Then go back to the cave. You're not only attracting attention, but you're also ruining my night vision."

"I don't think I will." Amelia said, matching the other girl's glare.

"What do you want?"

"Who are you, and why are you helping us?"

"Who I am is my business, and mine alone."

"Then why are you helping us? You don't respect us, you don't trust us, you don't even seem to like us. Why are you helping us?"

"I have my reasons. Reasons which I don't feel like sharing with you."

"Fine then. If that's the way you-" Amelia cut off mid-sentence, her breath catching in her throat. A small black earring hung from the girl's left ear.

"What is that?" Amelia demanded. "Where did you get that earring?"

"None of your business!" The other girl snapped. Dark energy rolled off her body. "Go back to the cave, before I hurt you."

"Not until you explain why you have an earring exactly like mine."

"I said GO!"

"No."

The fairy clenched her fist, black pulses of magic forming into a powerful ball of energy.

"Go."

"No."

The fairy raised her fist to Amelia's face. Several long seconds passed.

"...Are you going to attack me or not? If so, could you just get on with it?"

The fairy sighed, dropping her hand. Her magic faded as she settled back down.

"You're braver than I thought."

"I made it through Univix."

"Univix tests your strengths." The fairy stared off into the distance. "Altivix will find your weaknesses. And then it will break you."

"At least tell me your name."

"My name..." The girl stared at Amelia for a moment before continuing. "You may call me Nyssa."

"Thank you." Amelia said.

"Now leave me in peace."

"...Alright." Amelia walked over to the edge. "Magix!" She exclaimed.

(Cue more loud transformation music)

Amelia drifted to the ground, rejoining her friends in the cave.

The fairy who called herself Nyssa watched from atop the wall of rock with a curious mixture of pity and envy. She'd keep her promises, but nothing more. She sat back down to keep watch.

**A/N: Short chapter this time, but it's where it needed to end. Just as a side note, the lack of aging in Altivix pretty much cripples Artis, as none of her most powerful attack spells will work here.**

**I don't really have anything else to say about the chapter, so instead I'm going to touch on one of the reviews. Yes, Roxy Fan 4 Ever does exist, he's not just a figment of my imagination. Thanks for leaving the first review for the third book. As for Nyssa's attitude, well, she has her reasons.**

**That's all for now. See everyone next chapter.**


	3. Day of the Dragon

**Disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club.**

**It's been almost ten years since I last saw a total lunar eclipse. I'd forgotten just how unnerving that red moon is.**

**Speaking of the moon, something I've sort of implied but never really said is that Altivix has no moon. At all. This has pretty much no relevance to the plot, but it's one of the quirks of Altivix. Make of it what you will.**

**On with the story!**

THUD. The ground shook, waking the Classix. Even Artis was shaken from her sleep by the massive concussion.

THUD. The ground shook again.

"What's going on?" Dhalia asked.

Perdi, who had drawn the morning watch, turned to her friend. "I'm not sure. Whatever's making that noise, it's too far away for me to sense it."

THUD.

"What about that thing that's been stalking us?" Amelia asked.

"It's still around. It's moved into the rocks east of here."

"And it's not making the noise?" Reyva asked.

"I don't think so." Perdi said, worried.

THUD. Small pebbles rained from the ceiling of the cave.

"Get out!" Reyva shouted. They grabbed their gear and dashed outside.

THUD.

The Classix turned to stare at the cave.

THUD.

The cave collapsed, rocks falling from the ceiling.

"We have to get out of here." Reyva said. "That wall could collapse at any moment."

They turned and ran deeper into the maze of rocks.

THUD.

The Classix paused in a clearing amid the rock formations.

THUD.

"We can't stay down in here with this constant shaking!" Dhalia said. "It's too dangerous!"

"What else can we do?" Artis asked.

"We have to fly!" Perdi answered.

"But..."

"No choice!" Dhalia replied. "Magix!"

(Cue very loud transformation music)

Five fairies took to the air on unsteady wings.

THUD.

They managed to set down atop one of the rocks, although some landings were more graceful than others.

THUD.

"What is that?" Artis demanded, pointing back towards the wasteland they had come from. A massive thing was moving towards them. It was so big that even at that distance they couldn't make out its true shape. A massive clawed foot larger than all of Alfea rose and fell.

THUD.

"Perdi..." Amelia said in a very worried tone.

"Yes Amelia?"

"What is that?"

"I have no idea."

THUD.

The thing continued to advance.

"We can't fight this thing!" Dhalia shouted. "We need to retreat!"

"Where?" Artis asked. "Where can we go? There's nowhere safe from that thing!"

THUD. Every step it took brought the beast closer to the fairies. It was advancing with terrifying and relentless speed.

"I don't know! But we have to get away from that thing!"

Something descended from the clouds. Scales were followed by teeth the size of ships. The form continued to slide out from the hazy dust clouds that covered the sky. The eyes were the size of houses, and horns of unbelievable size jutted out from the monster's head.

"That looks like-" Dhalia said.

"A Veccan Dragon." Amelia answered. "I knew they could grow to massive size, but this-"

The beast opened its mouth. Several seconds passed, then a sound like a living thunderclap rolled over the fairies.

"We have to go." Dhalia said. "Now."

Four fairies took the air.

"Reyva! What are you doing?"

Reyva did not move.

"Reyva!"

No response. The Classix returned to Reyva's side.

"Reyva?" Dhalia went over to her friend. She'd seen Reyva in all sorts of situations. She'd seen her laugh, she'd seen her cry, she'd seen her mad, and she'd seen her embarrassed. She'd never seen Reyva absolutely terrified before.

THUD.

"Koroboras." Reyva whispered in horror.

"Who?"

"Koroboras. Destroyer of Vecca."

"Tell us." Dhalia commanded, forcing her friend to look her in the eye. "We need to know."

Reyva stared for a moment, then shook herself. "You know my realm has five planets, right?"

"Yes, Illmar, Posay, Norlic, Lerdan, and Invac. What's your point?"

"There used to be six."

"Used to be?"

THUD.

"The sixth planet was named Vecca, and it was the original home of the Veccan Dragons. Koroboras destroyed it."

"He destroyed an entire planet."

"Yes."

"Why?"

THUD.

"For fun."

"What?"

"He lives to destroy. To kill. To annihilate."

"What is he doing here?"

"He was defeated nearly six thousand years ago. We thought he was dead."

"He doesn't look very dead to me." Artis said.

THUD.

"What can we do?" Dhalia asked.

"Run." Reyva said. "And hope he doesn't catch us."

"Then let's go."

The fairies took to the air again, flying as fast as they could without crashing. Altivix had granted them greater speed, but controlling their flight was difficult.

The fairies flew across the landscape at speeds they'd never even dreamed of, but Koroboras was still gaining on them.

"How can anything that big move that fast?" Perdi wailed.

"Keep flying!" Dhalia shouted back.

They buzzed over rocks, over lakes, over forests both alive and dead, over hills, and over fields, until finally they couldn't fly anymore. They landed atop a large hill and turned to face the oncoming monster.

"We can't keep running." Dhalia said. "We make our stand here."

"Anyone have any ideas on how to beat this thing?" Artis asked.

"I'd say take out the magic that fuels him, but he's too powerful for that." Amelia said.

"Koroboras was stronger than any other Veccan dragon ever was." Reyva said. "It was the effort to stop him that united Invac, and even then it almost failed."

"And unlike the people of Invac, we don't have a handy universe to imprison him in." Artis said.

"We have to try." Dhalia said. "If we die here, the Magic Dimension will be destroyed by Eclipsis's son. Everyone, get ready. Hit him with the strongest attack you can safely use.

THUD. The beast was a mere three miles away.

THUD. Two miles.

THUD.

"Now! Thunder Shot!" Dhalia yelled, firing a sphere of electricity. The energy drain drove her to her knees in exhaustion.

"Mystic Spear!" A narrow line of magic flew from Amelia's outstretched hand. She wobbled a bit on her feet as the spell sapped her remaining strength.

"Thought Ray!" Perdi cried, a beam of mental energy flying from her forehead. She fell backwards to the ground, panting for breath.

"Chrono Blast!" Artis exclaimed. A ball of energy left her hands as Artis crumpled to the ground, utterly spent.

"Spacial Orb!" Reyva shouted, a black sphere ripping through the air. She wavered for a moment, but remained standing.

Five attacks impacted the great dragon's face. He barely noticed. Drawing back his head, his mouth fell open, preparing for the attack that would end the now exhausted fairies lives.

"Begone Koroboras." A strange voice filled the air. It was reptilian, and twisted with anger and hatred, but beneath that it held a curious beauty. "These fairies are my prey."

"What? Who's there? Show yourself!" The great beast roared, forcing the girls to cover their ears.

"As you wish." Another dragon appeared, seeming to materialize out of the air. It appeared tiny before the monstrous Koroboras, yet unlike Koroboras's massive power and bulk, this dragon was slender and graceful. Its iridescent wings glowed with every color of the rainbow and its scales gleamed in the sun.

"You!"

"Me. Begone Koroboras. These fairies are mine."

"One of these fairies is a descendant of those who trapped me here. I will see her dead before me!"

"She will die when she ceases to amuse me, just like her friends will."

"No, she will die now!"

"Are you challenging me Koroboras? I'm sure you remember what happened the last time tried that. Do the burns still hurt?" The smaller dragon's voice held an edge of loving menace.

"That was three thousand years ago. I've grown stronger since then. Even stronger than you!"

"Believe what you want, but these fairies are mine. They will die when I choose to kill them."

"They will die now!" With that, Koroboras spat a deluge of poison at the other dragon.

"Fool." The smaller dragon opened its mouth and a plume of blinding white fire blasted out. The two attacks met in the air, the poison vaporizing as the white hot flame burned back along it to Koroboras, scorching his face.

"I warned you what would happen if you defied me again. Now you shall pay for your arrogance." The dragon opened it's mouth again. An even brighter jet of fire flew through the air, slamming into Koroboras. His scales melted and his body burned, turned to ashes in the wind by the sheer power of the smaller dragon's breath.

"What a shame. He made such a lovely plaything." The dragon turned to the Classix. The five fairies were unable to move, utterly poleaxed by the speed with which this beautiful creature had obliterated Koroboras.

"You amuse me fairies. I do so enjoy seeing you struggle to control your powers." The lovely voice was tainted with a vicious joy. "Especially because you are Magix fairies. So accustomed to having control over yourself and the world around you. What does it feel like to lose all control? It must be truly dreadful. I'll be watching you." With that, the creature faded from view.

"What," Amelia panted out, "just happened?"

"I don't know," Dhalia said, "but we need to find somewhere to shelter for the rest of the day and tonight. We're in no condition to keep traveling."

They turned to examine their surroundings. In the heat of the moment, they'd paid little attention to the landscape. Now as they looked out from atop their hill, they were greeted with a bleak sight. The hill they stood upon was surrounded by a foul-looking swamp, with things moving just beneath the surface of the tainted water.

"We're going to have to camp here." Reyva said. "It's a good thing there are some trees here. We use them to help set up a shelter."

"We should get started." Dhalia said. "We only have a few hours until sundown."

The girls set to work.

**A/N: For those who were wondering what sort of creatures Altivix has to offer, there's your answer. Dragons the size of small continents. Or dragons the size of a van that can effortlessly destroy things the size of small continents. At least Univix gave the girls a fighting chance!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter, and thanks to PiercetheVeils for introducing me to a new song. A very creepy new song, but an interesting one all the same. It does have a certain connection with this story too. Yet another source of inspiration to work with as I push my poor girls to their limits. **

**That's it for now, see everyone next chapter.**


	4. Wings in the Night

**Disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club.**

**I'm sorry this has taken so long. I ended up rewriting this chapter several times, and dealing with several tests and essays at the same time. Now that that's mostly out of the way, I should be able to get back to writing. **

**Let's get started.**

"You are a long way from where you should be." Nyssa said, stalking into their camp. The Classix had set up a small camouflaged shelter using tree branches. Amelia had taken first watch while Dhalia and Reyva finished the construction. Artis and Perdi were busy with the interior.

"How did you find us?" Amelia demanded.

"Why are you this far South?" Nyssa asked, ignoring the question.

"We were chased here by a dragon named Koroboras." Amelia replied. "How did you know where to find us?"

"Where is Koroboras?" Nyssa asked.

"He's dead. Now answer my question!"

"What killed him?"

"How did you find us?" Amelia roared.

"I have my ways. What killed Koroboras?"

"Another dragon." Dhalia said, coming up behind Amelia.

"What did the dragon look like?"

"Small. Beautiful. Almost regal." Artis supplied.

"What happened?"

"Koroboras wanted to kill me." Reyva said. "The other dragon said we were its prey, and that we would die when it stopped finding us amusing."

Nyssa scowled at the girls. "You have no idea what this means, do you?"

"Explain then." Amelia growled.

"That was Sasha you met. She rules the creatures of Altivix with both power and cunning. If she said she will kill you, she will kill you."

"We can't accept that." Dhalia said. "There has to be a way to survive."

"Only one place in Altivix is safe from her: Melivon."

"We're already headed there."

"Yes, but you are a long way off course. By the time you get there, it will most likely be too late."

"Then we have to get to Melivon sooner." Dhalia answered.

"Yes, you do." Nyssa turned away from the Classix. "Gather your supplies. We leave in ten minutes."

"I thought you said traveling at night was too dangerous." Amelia said.

"That was before Sasha took an interest in you. You have a lot of ground to cover and not much time to do it in. This is the only option."

"We're in no shape to travel." Dhalia said. "We expended all of our magic trying to escape Koroboras."

"...You really are fools." Nyssa turned back to the Classix. I can lend you some of my power. It should be enough to allow you to travel tonight." She raised her hands, pointing at the Classix.

"Shadow Energy!" Dark tendrils of energy extended from her fingers, connecting with the Classix. Power flowed through them, and their exhaustion vanished.

"Gather your things." She said.

The Classix obeyed.

* * *

"How did she do that?" Perdi asked as they flew. Nyssa flew before them, her black wings invisible against the night sky.

"Which?" Amelia replied. "Find us? Or restore our power?"

"Both, but mostly the second." Perdi stared at Amelia. "She's strong enough to restore all five of us to full power without even trying."

"I know." Amelia said. "I can only think of six people in the Magic Dimension strong enough to do that."

"The Winx." Dhalia said.

"Exactly. She's at least as strong as they are."

"You say that like you think she has even more power." Dhalia commented.

"I can't tell. She's very good at controlling herself." Amelia paused for a moment. "Yes. I think she is stronger than the Winx."

"How is that possible?" Artis asked. "I thought the Dragon Flame was the most powerful force in the universe."

"It is."

"But you just said she was stronger than the Winx."

"She's stronger than Bloom. She's not stronger than the Dragon Flame."

"I don't understand."

"This is something I've learned since becoming the Fairy of Magic. Most fairies have far more power than they can use. Their power is stronger than they are. Bloom may possess infinite power, but she can't use it without destroying herself. That's how Nebula was able to destroy all those monsters. She released her full power, and her body couldn't handle it." Amelia brushed a tear from her eye. Nebula's death still haunted her.

"Oh."

"That's also why transformations work the way they do. They don't make the fairy's power any stronger, they just allow the fairy to use more of their power."

"But what does this have to do with Nyssa?" Dhalia asked.

"She's lived in Altivix for so long, her body has gotten accustomed to channeling magic. She can tap into more of her power than anyone we've ever seen."

"So she's stronger than Bloom."

"Yes."

Dhalia glanced ahead. Nyssa was still flying in front of them, not even looking back. "In that case, we need to be even more careful around her."

"Agreed."

* * *

They flew for hours. Several times they were attacked by monsters, but Nyssa destroyed every single monster effortlessly, and with neither compassion nor mercy. If it got in her way, it died.

"What is her issue?" Reyva asked. "That bat thing wasn't even trying to attack!"

"I wish I knew." Amelia said.

"Girls?" Dhalia's voice was worried. "Where's Perdi?"

Perdi was trailing the group by quite a distance. She was clearly trying to keep up, but she was completely exhausted.

"Perdi!"

"I'm...okay..." Perdi panted out.

"No, you're not." Reyva said. "We have to stop."

"I'm fine." Perdi insisted.

"We're stopping Perdi." Dhalia declared.

"I'll get Nyssa." Amelia said.

"Let's find a place to rest." Artis said, looking down.

They were hovering over a vast forest. Lush trees covered the landscape. In the light of the stars it looked almost ethereal, as though it were something out of a forgotten tale.

"Better than any of our previous camp sites." Dhalia commented. "I for one am sick of caves."

Amelia came back with Nyssa in tow.

"Why are you stopping?" Nyssa demanded. "Melivon is still a long ways away."

"We're exhausted." Dhalia said. "We need to rest. We need sleep."

"I gave you more than enough energy to keep going."

"You gave us magic. What we need is sleep."

"...Fine." She looked down. "I suppose this is as safe a place as any for you to stop."

"So glad you approve." Artis snarked at her.

Nyssa simply ignored the other girl as she descended towards the trees. The Classix followed.

* * *

The girls sat in the bowl of a truly massive stump. The former giant of a tree still rose thirty feet above the ground and was ten feet across. With Nyssa's help they quickly constructed a pair of small shelters to sleep in. Artis and Perdi were already asleep in one.

"I'll keep an eye on Nyssa." Amelia said. "You two get some sleep."

"Are you sure?" Dhalia asked.

"I am."

"Wake me in an hour or two." Reyva said. "I'll take over."

"I will. Get some sleep."

Dhalia and Reyva rose and entered the second shelter. Soon they too were fast asleep.

Amelia sat for a moment. Sometimes it was hard to remember that she was just seventeen. Most seventeen year old fairies weren't responsible for a war.

She sighed and stood up. Looking around, she saw Nyssa sitting on one of the jagged pillars of broken wood and bark that stuck up from the edges of the stump. Amelia shook her head. No matter how she tried, she couldn't figure that girl out.

"You're going to try interrogating me again, aren't you?" Nyssa's harsh voice interrupted Amelia's reverie.

"And what if I am?"

"It won't work. You should leave Altivix as soon as possible. You don't belong here."

"I don't think you belong here either." Amelia replied. "You clearly don't like it here, so why don't you leave?"

"I gave my word. And even if I hadn't, I still wouldn't leave. Better to have half a life than none at all."

"What does that mean?"

"Stay here long enough and you'll find out for yourself."

"You're not being particularly helpful."

"Does it look like I care?"

"Yes."

"...You're wrong."

"I don't think so."

"Think what you want. In the end, it doesn't matter in the slightest." With that, Nyssa leapt into the air, her wings forming soundlessly as she flew to a branch hanging over the Classix.

**A/N: Oh Nyssa. You're so much fun to write. Difficult, but fun. **

**Something I wanted to address. Altivix is not inherently evil. It's no more evil than Univix was. The creatures that inhabit it on the other hand, can be evil. Or very, very good. Once they get to Melivon, I'll be introducing you to some of the ancient heroes of the Magic Dimension. I'm particularly fond of former queen Luminé, who created the fourth Company of Light. For reference, the Winx are the sixteenth Company of Light.**

**One other thing. I make a distinction between magical energy and physical energy. Therefore, giving someone magical energy does not make up for the fact that they've been awake for an entire day, much of which was spent running for their lives.**

**That's it for now. See everyone next chapter.**


	5. The Valley of Fire

**Disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club. Remember when I had jokes for these things? They were a lot more fun back then. Sigh.**

**Hey everyone. Before I get started I just want to say that the level of interest you guys have shown in this story has been downright amazing. I'm glad that everyone's been enjoying the story so much and I will do my best to keep improving its quality. I have a lot of backstory still in reserve, a whole lot more of the main story, and probably even some side stories. Which brings me to my second point: When I started writing _On Borrowed Wings_, I was writing a stand alone story based on the bizarre concept of Winx Club in reverse. Instead of a girl finding out she's a fairy, a fairy finds out she's really a girl. It was weird, it was silly, and I would never have predicted it would turn into what it's become. I doubt I will ever be able to leave this universe I've created, and I expect I will be writing more stories about it for a long time to come.**

** Once again, thank you to everyone who's helped to support this story, and I look forward to writing the side stories, as well as other things, once this trilogy is finished. **

**On with the story!**

It was well past dawn when Dhalia woke the rest of the Classix. They'd needed the extra rest, but now they had to make up for lost time. They quickly gathered up their supplies and prepared to leave.

"We need to get moving." Amelia said. "Before Sasha finds us again."

"Then let's get going." Dhalia replied. "Magix!"

(Cue transformation music)

They took to the air.

"One good thing about the incident with Koroboras: It taught us how to fly in Altivix." Reyva said.

"There's a phrase for that on Earth." Perdi replied. "I believe it goes: 'The prospect of being hanged focuses the mind wonderfully.'"

"That sounds about right." Dhalia said. "Morbid, but right."

They kept flying.

* * *

They continued to buzz across the forest they had spent the night in. The occasional small flying monster tried to stop them, but the Classix still had their weapons. The attacks hardly even slowed them down.

Eventually though, the forest ended. A mountain range rose before them.

"Great." Artis said. "Now what?"

"There's a valley over there." Amelia said, pointing. "It looks like it goes straight through."

There was indeed a valley. The harsh grey stone of the mountains gave way to a gentle grassy field dotted with small trees and boulders. A light fog covered the valley, giving it a slightly eerie appearance. However, they could also make out several large shapes circling over the valley. As they watched, one of the shapes turned and flew towards a second, smaller one. The shrieks from the aerial battle could be heard from where the Classix were floating.

"We can't fly through." Reyva said. "We'll be attacked by those creatures."

"We'll have to make it on foot." Dhalia said.

They flew to the valley's entrance. Landing, they returned to their normal forms.

"I don't like this." Dhalia said. "This is a perfect place for an ambush."

"We don't have any other way of getting over these mountains." Reyva said. "They're too tall for us to fly over, and those flying things would probably kill us if we tried."

"I know. That only makes me even more worried."

They started walking.

* * *

The valley was cold, hidden from the sun's warmth by the mountains which flanked it. Moisture clung to everything, and the fog muffled sound. Every footstep was a flat, dead thing, its echo consumed by the mist. Perdi shivered.

"Why is always cold, everywhere we go? It was cold in Univix, it was cold in Omega, and it's cold here."

"Better cold than hot." Artis replied. "At least when it's cold you can usually do something about it."

"Wait." Dhalia stopped, peering into the mist. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Artis asked.

"I didn't hear anything." Reyva said.

"...Never mind. It's probably nothing." She turned to continue walking, but before she could move, she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. "Classix, down!"

The girls dropped. A roaring blast of fire blew over their heads, burning away the mist. They quickly go to their feet.

Five men stood before them, each holding a sword. They were clad in old and battered armor. Tattered crimson capes hung from their backs and small gold circlets held back their bright red hair. The one in the middle had his sword leveled at the girls. Steam drifted from its surface.

"Who are you?" Amelia demanded.

"They are the Ember Blades. Or rather, the Dark Ember Blades." Sasha's voice drifted through the air. Its beauty was tarnished and poisoned by the anger it held. "Surely you've heard of them?"

"No." Dhalia's voice was flat, hard, and challenging.

"Ah. Then perhaps I should tell you." The majestic beast materialized, resting on her stomach as she observed the confrontation. "It's quite fascinating actually." She waved an almost dainty claw at the swordsmen. They relaxed, waiting for orders.

"You see, these men hold the power of the Dragon Flame."

"What?" Amelia's voice was shrill, like a cat whose tail has been stepped on.

"Well, an ember of it. They never possessed much power, and they lost most of it before they were sentenced to this place. You see, the Dragon Flame was once a power much like any other. The Great Dragon bestowed it upon Arcadia's son for his courage in the war with Eclipsis. Every male descendant of his possessed a spark of the fire, and when he went on to establish Domino, that power became the mark of royalty. Those who possessed the power became a powerful order of sorcerer-knights known as the Ember Blades.

"Several hundred years later, a civil war broke out. I don't know what the reasons for it were, and I couldn't care less, but the important thing is that seven of the Ember Blades turned against their order, and their king. They began to kill other Ember Blades, stealing their powers. They were renamed the Dark Ember Blades, and they waged war upon their kin. They were merciless, but eventually one of their number was ambushed and slain.

"Fearing that he would be the next to die, their leader sought a way to achieve a decisive victory. He stumbled upon one of the many curses Eclipsis left scattered across the Magic Dimension."

The Classix started.

"You thought your precious Allanya was the only one who touched the realms with her magic?" Sasha's voice became even more distorted with anger. "Fools. Eclipsis left her mark upon the realms as well, creating monsters to stalk the day and horrors of the night. The Dark Ember Blades found one such spell.

"Thinking they could use its power to create an army, they channeled their power into it. Their Dragon Flame merged with the dark energy of the curse, creating a new power: The Shadow Flame. But the Shadow Flame would not be controlled. It took every last scrap of power it could from them before taking possession of the man who had led them. The man named Darkar. With its new body, the Shadow Flame set out to destroy Domino and steal the rest of the Dragon Flame.

"The other Ember Blades soon learned of this. Even when working together, they were no match for the power that possessed their fallen brother. Desperate, they hatched a desperate plan. Every living Ember Blade gathered beneath the capital of Domino. There, they released the full power of the Dragon Flame, turning themselves into a living source of power: The Vortex of Flames.

"The king of Domino, Darkar's brother Hano, then took their sister Merina, a powerful fire fairy in her own right, to the Vortex. He plunged into the Vortex, gathering as much of its power as he could before it destroyed him. As his final act he gave the power to Merina, who became the first keeper of the Dragon Flame, as well as the first queen of Domino.

"Merina fought and defeated Darkar, destroying his body in the process. The men you see before you were arrested, tried and convicted of treason. Rather than having them executed, Merina sent them here. Not out of mercy, but so that they would live forever."

"And to make a needlessly long story short, they work for you now." Reyva said, cutting Sasha off.

"How dare you interrupt me?" Sasha demanded. "I am-"

This time it was Artis who interrupted with a deadpan voice. "Sasha. Daughter of Eclipsis, Scourge of Altivix, Princess of Monsters. We know."

Sasha blinked in surprise. "You know who I am?"

"Yes." Amelia said. "We came here to remove the dark magic from Eclipsis, which should free you too." Amelia took a step towards the dragon. "Sasha, we can help you. Just let us pass."

Sasha's eyes smoldered in their sockets as she rose to glare at Amelia. "The last person who said they could help me left me here, abandoned and betrayed, trapped living half a life. You can take your 'help' and burn. You, Allanya, and everyone like you. You will all burn." With that, Sasha leapt into the air, her wings flapping powerfully as she flew away.

The five swordsmen raised their weapons once again, staring intently at the Classix.

"No way out." Dhalia said. "Girls, time to transform. Magix!"

(Cue transformation music)

**Aaannnddd CUT! Oh man, this has to be my worst cliffhanger yet, and I'm sorry. It could have been worse though. I considered ending it when Sasha said "...These men hold the power of the Dragon Flame." and publishing this chapter back on Saturday, but I decided against it. Chapter length has been trending downwards in a way I'm not happy with, and that would have been under a thousand words. The last time a chapter (acknowledgements don't count) was under a thousand words was chapter twelve of _On Borrowed Wings._ Enough said.**

**A/N: Okay, a lot of backstory and not much action here. Sasha really does like to talk, doesn't she? Thank you Reyva for calling her on it. Anyways, quick recap and explanation. I was always somewhat baffled by the fact that the Dragon Flame has a keeper to begin with. It wasn't really explained, and it seems like an extremely irresponsible thing for the Great Dragon to just give someone that much power. Imagine if someone like Diaspro were the keeper of the Dragon Flame. Anyways, I'm not sure how well I explained this, but the modern Dragon Flame is not like other powers. In many ways, it's sort of like a non-physical version of Stella's ring or Amelia's earrings. This is why it has to be transferred from person to person. However, it's still very much connected to its keeper, both by blood and by magic. The Dragon Flame belongs to a specific family and it will do its best to serve and protect said family. It's also connected to the hereditary fire powers of that family, which is part of the reason why it's impossible to extinguish. **

**Moving on to Darkar. Biggest waste of potential in a villain I've ever seen. He's an armored undead lord of evil. He should be intimidating. Instead he's that awkwardly painful sort of funny. Well, in my story he's Bloom's uncle with a lot of "greats" added to it (Remember how creepy his whole thing with Bloom was? Yeah, it gets even creepier if they're related.), and the skeletal figure he appears as is all that's left of his body after Merina defeated him.**

**So, yeah. Not much actually happened this chapter. Next chapter should be exciting though. I hope to see you all there.**


	6. Day and Night, Fire and Shadow

**PDisclaimer: I don't own Winx Club. If I did, Darkar would have been scary and not pathetic. But, if you read the last chapter, you already knew that. This is why no one in their right mind would put me in charge of a kids show.**

**So anyways, last chapter was a lot of information and no action, so I'm not going to waste any time here. Let's get going.**

Five fairies, each holding the weapons given to them in another world, faced five fallen sorcerer knights, armed with ancient blades and what remained of the powers they once held.

The battle began.

The Dark Ember Blades pointed with their swords in unison. Talons of flame lashed out from their blades, forming fell shapes as they roared down upon the Classix.

"Up!" Dhalia yelled, leaping into the sky. The flames rolled past beneath her and her friends as they took to the air.

"How can we win this?" Artis demanded. "They have the Dragon Flame and thousands of years of experience!"

"We have to fight smart." Dhalia said. "Try to break them up. Reyva, can you-"

Dhalia was cut off as a ball of fire flew into her and exploded. She fell from the sky, smoke trailing from her wings.

"Spread out!" Amelia cried as more fireballs streaked up after them. One exploded over Perdi, who barely got out of the way in time.

"That's it!" Reyva bellowed in anger. "Gravity Slam!" She dove for the ground,swing her hammer with a force few could match. It slammed into the earth and waves of energy rippled out from it. Their foes collapsed under the intense force Reyva's attack placed upon them. Then, Reyva too collapsed, utterly spent.

The five men rose to their feet.

"Surrender, Fairies." The tall one in the middle said. "The likes of you are no threat to us."

"And just who are you?" Amelia demanded.

"I am Ekroin, and I lead these men." The man pointed his sword at the two fairies before him. "Surrender, or you will die."

"I don't think so." Artis said from behind him, throwing one of her knives at his back.

"Childish." The man spun, caught the dagger, and flung it back at Artis hilt first. The wooden handle smashed into her chest, knock the wind out of her.

"Surrender."

"No." Dhalia had struggled back to her feet. "Lightning Edge!" She swung her hand across her body, releasing an arc of electricity. Another member of the Ember Blades charged forward and cut through the arc with his sword. Dhalia fell to her knees, then her eyes rolled back and she fainted.

"Regroup!" Amelia shouted. Perdi and Artis flew to join her, both looking a bit worse for wear.

"You don't know when to give up, do you?" Ekroin asked.

"I've always been stubborn." Amelia narrowed her eyes. "Let's see how you handle this." She pointed at the Ember Blades. "Magic Amplification!"

"What are you doing?!" Artis demanded. "You're making them stronger!"

"That's...the...idea." Amelia panted, the spell sapping her power with appalling speed.

Fire billowed out around each of the Ember Blades. Suddenly Artis understood. Amelia was trying to make them burn each other. The problem was, they didn't seem to care.

"You forgot our powers protect us from fire." Ekroin said. "The last in a long series of mistakes."

He swung his sword at the girls. A thin line of fire shot from the tip. Perdi and Artis moved to dodge, but Amelia was too slow. The fire struck her and she too fell from the air, trailing smoke.

"Perdi, run." Artis quietly intoned, gathering her power. "I'm going to try to buy you some time. Find Nyssa. She's the only one who can help."

"Are you sure?" Perdi's voice trembled slightly.

"Go!" Artis commanded before turning back to their foes. "Temporal Slip!"

Perid fled towards a small pass in the mountains. Lines of fire chased her, but they seemed to be moving through molasses. Nothing touched the girl as she was soon out of range.

"You'll pay for that, girl." Ekroin snarled at Artis.

"Just as you will pay for hurting my friends. Just as your mistress will pay for terrorizing this world. Just as her mother will pay for the death of my parents."

"You have already paid a most heavy price then." One of the other Ember Blades said.

"Be quiet Rengal." Ekroin snapped. "We obey the Lady Sasha. We have no time for such thoughts."

"As you say, Ekroin."

"Why do you work for Sasha in the first place?" Artis asked. "You were once knights of Domino, honorable, heroic, and good. Why serve a monster?"

"Because we have nothing else left to us, we who helped create the Shadow Flame."

"Silence Sedrin." Ekroin turned to the new speaker.

"You could always return to the Magic Dimension."

"And do what, fairy?" A fourth voice was heard. "We would be reviled, shunned, imprisoned, or executed. We wouldn't even have our powers. Merina was indeed cruel when she sentenced us here. This eternal life is a curse."

"Ferrick..." Ekroin's voice held a note of warning.

"If life is so horrible, why not go back? If you do, eventually your lives will end."

"We are knights! We do not take our own lives!" The fifth man cried out. "How dare you even suggest such a thing? Even at the last, we will not do it! Better to serve the Lady Sasha than to take that road!"

"Well said Tellis." Ekroin said. "Enough talk. Your friends are beaten or have fled. Now you shall join them." He raised his sword. Fire gathered at its tip as he pointed it at Artis. Tired and bruised, she tried to raise a shield, but her best attempt only flickered weakly for a moment before it died.

With a roar, Ekroin unleashed his power in a spiraling vortex of fire which reached out to engulf the fairy. When it cleared Artis too had been struck from the sky.

"Gather and bind them." Ekroin ordered. "Lady Sasha will want to deal with them personally."

* * *

Perdi flew as fast as she could, chasing her own slowly lengthening shadow east and further into the mountains, leaving behind both friends and foes.

At last she settled in a small hollow in the side of a mountain. Rain was starting to fall as she sat back against the rock wall. So fast! It had all been over in a matter of minutes! They hadn't even had a chance to fight back.

They'd fought monsters, they'd squared off with witches, they'd even faced down themselves, but the only time they'd ever been this outclassed was when they fought Eclipses. It felt like they'd wandered into a realm of legends and gods.

Perdi put her head in her hands and began to cry. It wasn't fair. They'd worked so hard, lost so much, and fought so many battles to get to this point. They'd brought Eclipsis here, but they'd never counted on how much harder this part of their mission would be.

* * *

**This next part is better if you hum the theme song from Mission Impossible while reading it. Enjoy.**

* * *

The first stars were twinkling in the sky when Perdi rose to her feet. She had no idea how to find Nyssa, but she had to help her friends. She also had an idea about how to do it. She took to the air, flying towards the last glow of sunlight. By the time she returned to the valley where the battle had occurred, it was night. She saw a small fire with two figures sitting by it, while another paced in a circle, keeping watch. The last two must be in the tent nearby. Perdi spotted her friends, bound hand and foot, leaning against a tree.

She landed beyond the ring of light cast by the fire. The night air swallowed the sound of her wings as she settled to the ground. She stepped forward, her mouth opening to cast the spell. Suddenly a hand came from behind and clamped over her mouth.

"Mmph! Mmph!" Perdi's voice was all but lost in the hand that covered her face.

"Hush!" Nyssa hissed. "Do you want to get caught too?"

"Nyssa!"

"Yes, you idiot. Be quiet!"

"But..."

"Save it. I should have dealt with these fools long ago."

With that, Nyssa crept forward, raising her hand. Her palm shone a faint black, barely visible in the darkness of night.

"Dark Needle!" She whispered. A small sliver of shadow flew from her palm to strike the sentry. He collapsed, snoring. Nyssa quickly fired two more attacks, knocking out the two who were sitting around the fire. She crept into the tent and fired two more needles at the already sleeping men within.

Perdi stared in awe as Nyssa swiftly and bloodlessly took out the five men who'd completely crushed the Classix in combat. Suddenly, a flash of steel caught her eye.

Nyssa was emerging from the tent, clearly confident in her victory. Suddenly, a sword was pressed across her throat and a hand grabbed her arm.

"You've caused us quite a bit of trouble over the years." Ekroin said. "Lady Sasha will be most pleased when I present you to her."

"Good luck with that." Nyssa spat.

"Mind Sight!" Perdi hissed, expanding her telepathic abilities to cover a radius of several miles. Even for an experienced telepath like herself, the amount of information was almost overwhelming. "Thought Projection!" Perdi cried, pointing at Ekroin.

"Huh?" His head snapped around to face Perdi. For an instant, he recognized her. Then her spell took hold. What had almost overwhelmed Perdi, who was used to dealing with other people's thoughts as well as her own, crashed into Ekroin's mind. So many thoughts flooded through him, so many images, so many ideas, that he simply stood there, completely transfixed, unable to even move.

Nyssa pulled herself out of the paralyzed knight's grip, turned, and fired one final needle into his chest. He too collapsed, snoring.

"Free your friends." Nyssa said as she began to rifle through the man's possessions. By the time Perdi had cut her friends free, Nyssa had searched all five men.

"Here." She tossed Perdi five objects that looked like red marbles. "Hold onto these."

"What are they?"

"Crystallized Dragon Flame."

**A/N: Yep. Marbles of Dragon Flame. There'll be an explanation for them next chapter. **

**Anyways, about these knights. They're not evil. Even when they created the Shadow Flame, which was a complete accident, they were still trying to do what they thought was best for Domino. The civil war Sasha mentioned was a war of succession, fought between Darkar and his twin brother Hano. The reasons for this are a bit convoluted, so bear with me. About thirty years prior to the Domino civil war, Domino entered a very militaristic phase, and invaded Linphea. At first Domino won victory after victory. However, Linphea pleaded for help, and Andros came to their aid. The combined forces of Linphea and Andros first brought the war to a stalemate, then began to push Domino back. This continued until Domino had not only left Linphea, but also been forced to surrender its other conquests, including the planet that would one day become Eraklyon. Then, the King died. Darkar, who was the stronger of the two brothers, wanted to continue the war. He felt that the Ember Blades had not performed to their full potential and that with the proper leadership the war could still be won. Hano favored a diplomatic resolution. The nobility of Domino, especially the Ember Blades, sided with Hano, resulting in his coronation. Darkar believed this was the result of a Linphean/Androsian plot, and thus the war began. Outnumbered and out matched, Darkar's followers had to resort to extreme tactics, eventually resulting in the creation of the Shadow Flame. The survivors were sentenced to Altivix, where they've spent the last nine and a half thousand years dealing with their guilt.**

**One final note. I've decided to establish official heights for the Classix. Lets see what we've got.  
Dhalia is the shortest, standing at a diminutive four feet ten inches (147 cm). Most people expect her to grow a few more inches somewhere along the line, but she's repeatedly said she doesn't really mind it.  
Artis is the next shortest, standing at five feet four inches (162.5 cm). She's still somewhat short, but she doesn't seem to notice.  
Amelia is the middle member, standing a slightly taller than average five feet seven inches (170 cm). Not much else to say about it.  
Reyva is next in the line up, standing five feet ten inches tall (178 cm). She's also very muscular, so she looks very, very big. Kind of like if a brick wall were to get up and walk around.  
Finally, Perdi, who stands at an Amazonian six feet two inches tall (188 cm), but looks even taller because of how skinny she is. She's constantly smacking her head on door frames.**

**So, lots of action this chapter. See everyone next time.**


	7. Souls of Stone

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club.**

**Cyborg, there's no need to be embarrassed. Your view of the characters' heights is almost certainly the result of how I've been portraying the characters. Dhalia is a strong, commanding presence, despite her tiny frame. Her personality probably adds a good ten inches or so. Perdi, on the other hand, I've been playing as a very vulnerable character, sort of the "little sister" of the team, so she comes off as much smaller than she actually is. They're both played in ways that don't match their physical appearances, which was kind of the point. **

**As for making canon make sense, I would say that's a hobby of mine. Gap in origin story? Excellent! Inexplicable powers? The term "inexplicable" means nothing to me! Highly convoluted and nonsensical history? Creative interpretation to the rescue! One of these days I will even figure out how to explain the timeline problems Winx suffers from. It's not going to be pretty, and will probably turn time into a pretzel (I'll try to keep that to a minimum, but no guarantees), but it will be done! I may even manage to incorporate the second movie into the timeline, mostly by getting rid of seasons five and six. I will make it make sense!**

**For now however, I have a story to write, so let's get on with it.**

"Crystalized Dragon Flame?" Perdi's eyes widened.

"Yes. Now let's get moving. I'd rather not be here when they wake up."

Nyssa stalked over to the other Classix. Reyva and Dhalia were starting to stir, but Amelia and Artis were both completely unconscious. "Can you move?" Nyssa's harsh voice demanded of the girls.

"Yes," Dhalia said, "but we can't fly."

"Fine. Grab your friends. We're leaving this valley."

"Since when do you consider yourself one of us?" Reyva asked, slightly irritated.

"Since I saved your lives for the second time this week." Nyssa began walking, leaving the girls to stare at her in shock.

"She does have a point." Perdi said.

"Fine, but she has a lot of explaining to do." Dhalia said.

* * *

Reyva gently set down Amelia in the cave Nyssa had lead them to. Perdi and Dhalia carried Artis between them into the cave, then carefully lowered her to the ground as well.

"You." Nyssa pointed at Dhalia. "Sit down."

"Why?"

"You're injured."

"And?"

"And it's easier to heal you if you're not standing."

Dhalia grumbled but did as she was told. She was indeed injured. The fireball that had smashed into her had left some fairly severe burns on her stomach.

"Night's Touch!" Nyssa held her faintly glowing hands just above Dhalia's wounds. A strange sensation washed over Dhalia. It felt like night air on her burns, but somehow different. She watched as the burns quickly peeled, scabbed over, then faded as Nyssa's magic healed her. Nyssa repeated the process with Amelia, quickly healing the burn that traced from her left shoulder to her right hip. Then she turned to Artis. Artis took much longer, given the severity and scope of the burns she'd suffered, but soon she too had been healed.

Healed of their wounds, the two girls soon awoke.

"What happened?" Artis asked. "How did we end up here?"

"Nyssa and Perdi rescued us." Dhalia said.

"Then we carried you here." Reyva said.

Amelia sat up and turned to face Nyssa. "Why?" The word hung in the air as both a question and a challenge.

"You wouldn't understand." Nyssa turned her back on the Classix, her hair lifting to briefly reveal her earring. "You could never understand."

"Not if you don't tell us."

Nyssa remained silent.

"Fine then. Be that way." A taut silence hung between the two girls.

"What are those marble things you gave me anyways?" Perdi asked, trying to diffuse the tension.

"Weren't you listening?" Nyssa scowled over her shoulder at Perdi. "They're crystallized Dragon Flame."

"Wait, what?" Artis interrupted. "What are you talking about?"

Perdi pulled out the orbs. In her hand they looked like large orange marbles, maybe an inch across. "Nyssa took these from the Ember Blades."

"Yes." Nyssa snapped. "Something I should have done when they first arrived in Altivix."

"Could someone explain what these things are before I lose what little patience I have left?" Reyva growled. Losing did not sit well with her at all.

"The stones you now hold are called Ember Stones." Nyssa said. "The fire of life can be snuffed out, but the Dragon Flame is not so easily extinguished. Formed from the power of a slain Ember Blade, these are the last remains of five long dead knights."

"What?" Perdi held the innocent looking spheres away from herself.

"They won't hurt you. In fact, you can't even use their power." Nyssa turned back to face the Classix. "Only another Ember Blade can use them."

"So why did you give them to me?" Perdi asked, still holding the Ember Stones as far away from herself as possible.

"Two reasons. First, because it will weaken the Dark Ember Blades. Second, she may be able to use them." Nyssa pointed an accusatory finger at Amelia. "She may be able to tap into their power."

"And what power is that?" Amelia demanded.

"For an Ember Blade, just more of the Dragon Flame at their disposal. For you, who knows?"

"What else have they been used for?" Perdi asked.

"Many were used in the creation of the Vortex of Flames. Eight were not. You hold five of them. One of the other three was used in the creation of the Ember Tiara."

"What happened to the other two?"

"One belonged to the seventh Dark Ember Blade. I don't know what happened to it. The other was Darkar's, formed when Merina destroyed his body. It was tainted and unusable."

"A tainted ember of the Dragon Flame..." Perdi mused. "I've heard of something...like...that...before." Her eyes widened. "Valtor."

"Who?" Nyssa stared at Perdi.

"Valtor! Surely you know who he was!"

"Never heard of him."

"...Oh."

"Who was he?" A strange curiosity filled Nyssa's voice. It was sad, almost desperate.

"He was-"

"We'll tell you." Amelia said, cutting off Perdi. "On one condition."

"What?"

"You tell us where you got that earring from."

"...Deal."

"Good."

"As I was saying," Perdi continued, giving Amelia an evil look, "Valtor was a wizard created by the Ancestral Witches to help them attack Domino. They used a corrupted piece of the Dragon Flame to give him life. In the end it turned out he was a monster instead of a wizard."

"So they used Darkar's Ember Stone to create a wizard?"

"I guess so."

"Even for the Ancestral Witches, that was particularly devious."

"Wait, you know about the Ancestral Witches?" Amelia asked.

"Well of course I do! Darkar created them nine thousand years ago after all."

"What?" Dhalia looked like she'd been smacked right between the eyes. "Nine thousand years ago?"

"If you reach Melivon alive, ask for Luminé. She can explain it better than I can."

"Now you hold up your end of the bargain." Amelia said. "Tell us where you got that earring."

"Allanya gave it to me, before she brought me here." With that Nyssa turned and walked out of the cave, leaving five very confused fairies in her wake.

**A/N: Yep. Allanya brought Nyssa to Altivix. Details to follow. Sorry for the short chapter, but Nyssa doesn't feel like talking anymore, and arguing with her just gives me a headache. Anyways, about the final Ember Stone. That stone was used eventually. In fact, it still exists. It was used in the creation of Oritel's sword, and resides within its pommel. Its power is what makes the sword so strong. **

**Okay, quick explanation for how Nyssa healed the Classix. Night air has been proven to help speed healing. This is that effect but amplified by magic, which is why the burns healed naturally, rather than simply vanishing. It's highly accelerated natural healing, not magical healing.**

**As for the Ancestral Witches, well, I have my own interpretation of them. After all, their origin was never really discussed.**

**Bonus points to anyone who can tell me where the inspiration for the Ember Stones came from. Do try not to spoil other series for people though.**

**That's all for now. See everyone later. **


	8. Mirror, Mirror, in the Night

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club. **

**Chapters are coming out thick and fast! I blame Artis! What do you mean it was Perdi? Oh great, now they're in cahoots! **

**Okay, last chapter I turned Valtor into a footnote, handed Amelia five orbs of Dragon Flame, and confused even my own characters. Now I just need to explain some of it. Oy.**

**As for Nyssa not being shocked, she's been in Altivix for ten thousand years, given that Allanya's the one who put her there. She's seen a lot of things and people go past. The shock value sort of fades after a while. Too bad her attitude didn't.**

**Back to the story!**

"...Anyone feel like sleeping?" Dhalia asked. Everyone shook their heads. "Good. I think it's time we had a group meeting."

"I'll say." Said Perdi as she sat down, crossing her long legs beneath her.

"Agreed." Amelia said. "So much has happened since we got here, and we've been going without a break ever since."

"Alright." Dhalia said. "Who wants to start?"

"I will." Artis said. "What is going on with Nyssa?"

"I don't know." Amelia said. "Every time I try talking to her she clams up."

"I couldn't have rescued you guys without her help." Perdi put in.

"She said it herself, she's saved us twice in less than a week." Reyva added.

"But why?" Artis asked. "What's in it for her?"

"I don't know," Dhalia said, "and I'm not sure whether or not to trust her. She's saved our lives, but the way she acts... She's hiding something."

"We've been over this before." Amelia said. "She's certainly strange, but I don't think she means us harm."

The other girls turned to look at Amelia.

"Strange isn't the word I'd use." Dhalia said.

"Secretive?" Perdi suggested.

"Prickly?" Reyva supplied.

"Hostile." Artis stated.

"All of the above." Dhalia said.

"I know, but... I still think she's not likely to hurt us."

"I hope you're right." Artis said.

"Let's move on." Dhalia said hurriedly. "The Dark Ember Blades."

"I don't think we've seen the last of them." Reyva said.

"If nothing else, they're going to want these back." Perdi held up the Ember Stones. "Speaking of which..." Perdi stood up and walked over to Amelia, handing over the stones. "Nyssa did say you might be able to use them."

"They probably wouldn't work very well against the Ember Blades." Amelia sighed. "I already learned not to fight fire with fire the hard way."

"They were very strong, weren't they?" Artis said.

"They have the Dragon Flame, they're trained sorcerer-knights, and they've been here for nine and a half thousand years." Reyva said. "It would be strange if they weren't extremely powerful."

"But now they've been weakened." Dhalia said. "We might stand a chance."

"I certainly hope so." Perdi said. "I'm tired of fighting things out of our league."

"Earth expressions Perdi?" Artis teased.

"My brother sent me a list of them a few years back."

"Ah."

"We're getting off topic here." Dhalia said.

"What else is there to say about the Dark Ember Blades?" Reyva asked. "We won't know enough to form any plans until we see them in action without the Ember Stones."

"Good point." Dhalia rose to her feet. "That brings us to the third topic. Eclipsis."

"We can start looking for her once we reach Melivon." Artis said.

"Not good enough. The Winx have been fighting Eclipsis's son for five days now. Who knows how long they can hold him off?"

"Maybe we can use our magic to see what's happening." Perdi supplied.

"Good idea." Reyva said. "Perdi, Artis, can you help me out here?"

"Certainly."

"Thanks."

The three girls sat in a circle, hands in front of them. "Universal Sight!" They cried out in unison. A circle of light appeared in their midst. Images began to form on its surface as the girls crowded around it.

The first image was one of massive destruction. Stonehenge was gone. Its stones had been knocked down, cracked, and pulverized. Bodies littered the landscape, both monstrous and humanoid. The image rippled and dissolved.

A second image formed. The Winx were fighting the great serpentine monster in a desperate battle across England. Fire, light, plants and Morphix were all visible. Faint tendrils of electricity extended from Tecna's hands, and a shockwave filled the air in front of Musa. The image faded.

A third image appeared. Roxy hovered in front of the beast, the White Circle in her hands. The Major Fairies surrounded her as they fought back against the onslaught of the snake. This image vanished as well.

A fourth image appeared. This one was in the middle of a huge city. The Trix were fighting now, alongside several other witches. This image remained, then began to move. Buildings shattered, the rivers boiled, and lightning filled the sky.

"So that's what's happening right now." Artis said in a quiet voice.

"That's London." Perdi's voice was hollow. "Almost ten million people live there."

"We have to succeed," Amelia said, "or this will happen to every city on Earth, and every city in the Magical Dimension."

The image vanished as the girls broke the spell.

"We can't let that happen." Reyva said.

"And we won't." Dhalia replied. "But we need to be smart about it. If we die here, everyone pays the price."

"I'll take first watch." Amelia said. "Get some rest."

"Are you sure?" Perdi asked. "You've been doing that a lot recently."

"I have a lot on my mind."

"Okay then..."

The Classix lay down to rest. They had gotten used to sleeping on hard ground.

"Wake us if anything happens." Dhalia said, just before she fell asleep.

"I will." Amelia turned to face the night.

**A/N: Well, that certainly puts things in perspective. London, one of the biggest cities in the world, is under siege. Time is running out, and for some people it's already too late. Even the combined forces of the Winx, the Earth Fairies, and the Trix can't bring this beast down. There's a reason this guy inspired the myth of Typhon, the monster that almost brought down Olympus.**

**Another short chapter, but with all the emotional stress, I just don't have it in me to write any more. Expect the next chapter to be delayed a bit, as I'm going to be busy for the next few days, but it should be longer than these last few chapters. **

**That's all for now, see you all next time.**


	9. Storm of Madness

**Disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club. And after seeing the new episodes, I'm deeply thankful that that is the case. Every time I think it can't get worse... Three words: Riven versus Kiko. Enough said. Okay, maybe not. "When, why, and how come." Redundancy alert! And then there's- you know what, never mind. Winx is getting dumber by the episode. Oh, and Stella really needs to stop with the new outfits. One or two per season is plenty. One per episode is just stupid. The less said about the transformation songs, the better. In fact, the less said about the transformations, the better. Mythix is the first time I've had to label Stella as my favorite. Shudder.**

**On the plus side, they did introduce some new places and magical beings, specifically Psionics, who use psychic powers but are complete idiots. Yeah, I'm not so sure this was a good thing after all. Also, Roxy's back and is actually being useful! For one scene. Then she's gone again. Run Roxy! Run before you become another empty headed living doll!**

**I took season five on faith. The first four seasons of the show were excellent, even though I didn't like season two. Season five was painful to watch, but season six has committed the ultimate sin. It's flat out boring. It's not even fun to mock. I give up. Season six can happen without me, because I'm tired of watching.**

**Now, on with a story I can actually care about! **

Dawn broke over the foothills of the mountain range. They'd crossed over, and were closing in on Melivon. The Classix gathered their things with stiff joints and aching bodies before they resumed their march.

Dhalia glanced at the sky, then looked back at the ground. "Great. Just what we need."

The sky was turning a bleak shade of gray, and thunder rumbled in the distance. Faint flashes of lightning arced across the sky.

"What's the plan?" Artis asked.

Dhalia looked out in front of them. Nothing but grass as far as the eye could see. The first drops of rain began to fall, and soon became a torrent. "There's no place to shelter from this storm. We have to keep moving."

"I don't like it." Reyva said. "This grass is very dry. One lightning strike could start a brush fire."

"I don't think we have a choice." Dhalia said. "If we don't get to Melivon soon, Sasha will likely kill us."

"True." Reyva said. "What do you think Amelia?"

"Huh? What was the question?"

"Do you think we should try to find shelter or keep moving?" Dhalia stared at her friend. "You really are out of it. What's bothering you?"

"Sorry, I'm thinking about something that happened last night."

"Were you talking to Nyssa again?" Perdi asked.

"Sort of. More like watching Nyssa."

A bolt of lightning struck the side of a mountain, hitting a pack of snow. The sudden heat vaporized a section of it, and the remains began to slide down the side of the mountain, gaining speed. Directly towards the Classix.

"You can tell us about it later," Reyva said, "right now we have to get out of here!" They turned and began running.

"We can't outrun an avalanche!" Artis yelled.

"What else can we do?"

"We have to fly!"

"In a thunderstorm?" Reyva almost stumbled in shock. "Are you insane?"

"We can make it work!"

"Not in a million years! We can't fly!"

"Yes we can." Dhalia said. "I can shield us. Let's do this."

"Alright then, but if we die I'm never speaking to either of you again." Reyva grumbled. "Magix!"

(Cue transformation music)

Five fairies went from running to flight in the space of a breath. Buzzing across the landscape at high speed, desperately attempting to outrun the oncoming wall of snow and rock.

"Get back!" Dhalia yelled, pointing at a spot on the ground. "Lightning Rod!"

The effect was instantaneous. Dozens of bolts snaked out of the sky to strike that point. The air crackled and thunder roared with the massive amount of energy released into the air. There was no fire, just a crater of white hot glass. Rain spattered across its surface, hissing and popping.

"How was that helpful?" Artis demanded, yelling to be heard over the ringing in her own ears.

"I released all the storm's energy! We should have at least half an hour before the next lightning strike!"

"Let's move then!" Reyva said.

They hurried forward, away from the oncoming avalanche.

"Bad enough everyone we've run into wants to kill us, now nature is helping them do it!" Artis complained.

"I don't think this storm is natural Artis." Amelia said. "There's too much magic in it."

"No one has that much power!" Perdi said. "Even Stormy couldn't make a storm this big!"

"Well I can tell you one thing Perdi, someone is definitely controlling this storm."

A bolt of lightning flashed from the sky, heading straight for Dhalia.

"Dhalia!"

"No!"

"Energy Drain!" Dhalia shouted as the bolt struck her. Instead of being electrocuted, she began to glow. She pointed towards the origin of the bolt. "Thunder Crash!" An intense wave of sonic energy ripped out from Dhalia's fingers, cutting through the sky like a knife. Dhalia fell to the ground, stunned by the sheer power that had coursed through her, but another figure fell from the sky as well. The storm began to dissipate.

The Classix dove down to join Dhalia. She was on her feet, but panting.

"How did you do that?" Perdit demanded. "You should be dead!"

"Turned- turned the lightning, into sound." Dhalia panted. "Simple trick. Energy conversion."

"Who did you hit?"

"No idea." Dhalia's breathing was returning to normal. "Let's find out."

The Classix flew across the field, searching for the person who'd attacked them. They found a half conscious witch sitting huddled in a ball, muttering to herself.

"Who are you?" Amelia demanded.

"Grey lady, do not speak. Speak! Chatter! Shout! No fool, they are listening! Listen! Hear! Understand!"

"Ooookay, I think she's got a few screws loose." Artis muttered.

"Silence you simpleton! Silence! Quiet! Listen! You will stop! Stop! Halt! Think! Stop this! Make them go away!"

Reyva looked at the woman. "This is a waste of time."

"Time! Think! No you idiot!"

"Let's go." Dhalia said. "This witch clearly lost her mind a long time ago."

"Stop! Witch! Long ago! Be silent!"

"What?" Dhalia turned back to the deranged storm witch. "What did you just say?"

"You! Witch! Long ago!"

A chill went down Dhalia's spine. How could this woman know she'd been a witch before becoming a fairy.

"Tell us what you know." Dhalia said.

"Tell them nothing! Know! Understand! Listen! Think! Mind!"

"Is she saying what I think she's saying?" Reyva asked nervously. Amelia nodded wordlessly.

"I don't know anything! Anything! Tell! Know! You!"

"Perdi..." Dhalia said.

"Yes?"

"Could you do something about this?"

"No she can't! Do something! I! Mind!"

"Let me try something. Mind Lock!"

The witch seemed to rattle for a second, then lay still. "Thank you."

"Who are you?" Artis asked, somewhat shaken.

"I am, I was, Vellantai."

"Vellantai? The witch who saved Teylan eight thousand years ago?" Artis stared at the woman.

"Yes."

"Artis, what do you know about this?" Dhalia asked.

"Vellantai was a great witch of Teylan. She was blessed with the power of prophecy, and used it to help protect the land. Then one day she foresaw a threat that could not be defeated. A violent lightning dragon named Talu. Instead of battling him, she used a magic orb to absorb him." Artis turned to stare at the woman on the ground. "It is said that Talu's rage drove her insane, and that her final act was to seal away both him and herself for all of eternity."

"Another legend..." Dhalia said darkly.

"You did well to survive Talu's wrath, and I-" The woman flinched. "There's not much time! Talu will soon break free again!"

"What?"

"You must leave. You have a mission to complete, but before you go, I must tell you something. Trust your friend. She is what she says. But she is also more than she says. And less." Amelia gasped. "Now leave! Before Talu- Gryah!"

The Classix flew away from the witch as fast as their wings could carry them. Behind them, a storm raged, two mortal enemies locked in struggle, living in the same skin.

**A/N: Ow. My brain hurts. Writing Vellantai's insane babble was like trying to play baseball with a golf club. Ow.**

**I was going to say something here, but now I'm too confused. Maybe I'll come back to it another time.**

**That's it for now. I'm going to go lie down for a while. See everyone next chapter.**


	10. Shattered Wings

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club.**

**I feel like I should clarify my position on season two. I have an ongoing love/hate relationship with season two. On the whole I think it's a very bad season, and, until season five really lowered the bar, it was by far my least favorite season. Things that made no sense, things that were poorly executed, and things that were just plain lame to begin with all conspired to make a really bad season. And yet... Season two introduced two of my favorite characters to the show, Helia and Digit (yet another reason to hate season six), had a number of very clever concepts behind it, and contains my all time favorite episode in the entire show (Try and guess it. I dare you.). So as much as I may hate season two as a whole (Downland. Why was that side trip necessary?), it has enough redeeming features that I still kind of like it. Season five's redeeming features were good music, a good second transformation (Harmonix was way too frilly and generic), and nothing else. Season six's one and only redeeming feature seems to be Daphne's powers, which are kind of interesting. At this point, there's really only one thing they could do to get me interested in this season again, and that would be to kill one of the Winx. Permanently.**

**Now, with that cheerful topic out of the way, I'd like to once again thank everyone who's come out and reviewed the story so far. I'd like to take a few moments to address a couple of small points. The transformation music is no longer loud for two reasons. Reason one, the Classix are getting better at controlling their powers. If you remember, Nyssa has no transformation music at all, her wings just appear. The Classix are learning, but this is the easiest trick to learn. Reason two, I'm tired of typing it. Yep. As for world building, anyone who's come this far knows I really like doing exactly that. At this point I'd say about half of this book has been nothing but world (universe) building. I'm having a lot of fun with it, and I hope you guys are all enjoying it too.**

**Alright folks, this is going to be a big one. I've been working towards the events of this chapter for over a month.**** There will be battles! Secrets will come out! Sasha and Nyssa will stop being quite so confusing! I haven't been this eager to write a chapter since book one, so let's not waste any more time. Here we go!**

The Classix flew across the plain, away from the storm that was Vellantai and Talu.

"That went better than it could have." Dhalia said.

"You were struck by lightning." Reyva said.

"Yes, I was. Your point being?"

"You have a strange definition of better."

"Hey, at least Sasha wasn't involved."

"Dhalia." Amelia said.

"Yes Amelia?"

"You really shouldn't say things like that." She pointed towards the horizon. A small dragon hung in the air. Sasha.

"Great." Artis muttered. "Just when I thought we were done for today."

"It could still be worse." Dhalia said. "The Dark Ember Blades could be here too." A jet of flame shot past her face, singing her hair. A group of five men stood beneath Sasha. The Dark Ember Blades.

"Dhalia, you really need to stop talking." Amelia said.

"Let's land." Dhalia said. "We have a better chance against them than we do against Sasha, especially now that they're weaker."

The Classix drifted to the ground. The Ember Blades were waiting for them.

"You have something that does not belong to you." Ekroin said in a carefully controlled voice.

"You mean the Ember Stones?" Artis asked. "I don't think they really belong to you either."

"You will return the stones," Ekroin's voice trembled with rage, "and you will return them now."

"I don't think so." Amelia said.

"Then we'll just have to take them from you!" He let his rage take control as he charged at Amelia, sword blazing.

"No, you won't." Amelia said, side stepping his vicious slash and drawing her own swords.

Ekroin bellowed as he swung wildly, trying to kill Amelia. She dodged every clumsy strike, delivering a few quick jabs of her own, only making even more furious.

"Die, fairy!" He roared, firing a blast of fire from his off hand. Amelia leapt over it and kicked him in the chest, knocking him to the ground. He rolled away from her, springing to his feet.

"Ekroin!" Sasha's noxiously beautiful voice worked its way through the air. "You are making a fool of yourself! Do as I have taught you!"

"But-"

"Now!"

"As you wish my Lady." Ekroin rejoined his men. "Ember Blades, Converge!"

"What are they doing?" Artis asked, her voice troubled.

"No idea." Perdi said.

The Ember Blades put their swords together and began to chant. "_Let the souls of the lost, the broken and lame/Fight for us with Dragon Flame!/And conquer those whom we despise/Bring to them their true demise!_"

"No! Not even they would use magic like that!" Amelia exclaimed. "Only a lunatic would use Necromancy!"

Even as Amelia cried out, skeletal forms of fire began to appear. More and more of the flaming horrors appeared. Dozens. Hundreds. Soon an army of burning undead soldiers surrounded the Classix.

"Now you will die, fairies." Ekroin said, a vein bulging from his neck. "We will take the Ember Stones from your hot ashes."

* * *

The Classix stood in a circle, facing the burning army assembled against them.

"Perdi, Artis, cover the sides. Reyva, the rear. Amelia and I will take out Ekroin." Dhalia whispered to her friends. "Try to keep your magic use to a minimum. Hopefully our weapons will work against these things.

"Let's do this."

The battle instantly became a blur. The fairies fought with the strength of desperation, taking down the walking torches with lethal speed. Reyva's hammer smashed one of the skeletons so hard it flew through another three, dispersing all of them into wisps of flame. Perdi's arrows struck with deadly accuracy, breaking them apart. Artis's daggers were like scythes of destruction, scattering the embrous bodies of the ghouls. Dhalia looked like a giant buzzsaw, her double bladed staff slicing through enemies on every side. Amelia fought beside her, twin swords flashing as they made their way towards Ekroin.

The Ember Blades were not idle though. They had scattered throughout the army, attempting to get close to the girls.

The battle blazed in the afternoon sun.

* * *

Artis was tiring. She was sore, burnt, and outnumbered. She sliced another undead enemy apart, trying to find one of her friends. An arrow whizzed past her, taking out a skeleton that had been about to gut her. Perdi. Artis fought her way towards the source of the arrow.

There was Perdi, firing with the strangest expression on her face. She was clearly stone-cold terrified by the battle, but somehow she'd separated herself from the fear, allowing her to fight with machine-like efficiency. But even Perdi was not good enough to stop what was to come.

* * *

The Ember Blades struck. Amelia and Reyva were attacked by Sedrin and Ferrick, their burning swords making even defense a risky prospect. A tornado of flame began to rise around them as they fought.

Reyva faced off with Tellis. They went at it hammer and tongs, the din of their fight rising above the noise of the fray.

Artis dodged Rengal's fire blasts with a grace she'd never had before her time in Univix, but as she flipped over another ball of fire, her eyes caught upon Ekroin, who'd come up behind Perdi. As if in a dream, Artis saw him raise his sword, preparing for a death stroke.

"Perdi!" She yelled.

Perdi turned towards Artis. That turn saved her life. Rather than being the instantly fatal slash to the spine that Ekroin had intended, the blow instead caught her shoulder. It was deep, but she was alive.

Ekroin drew back for another strike.

"No. Not again." Artis's eyes burned with anger. "This time you're the one who's going to lose." She glanced at her friends. The flaming skeletons were still everywhere, aiding the Ember Blades in their attack on the Classix. The battle was turning into a disaster. "I'm sorry girls." Artis whispered. "Time Flash!"

* * *

The world seemed to pause for a moment, as though reality had stopped to catch its breath. Then, everything changed. The fire skeletons vanished, scattered to the wind. Sedrin, Ferrick, Tellis, and Rengal were all on the ground unconscious. Ekroin lay in a pool of his own blood. Artis lay beside him. Neither was breathing.

The Classix blinked for a second, utterly stunned. Then-

"Artis!" The girls yelled racing over to their fallen companion. Even Perdi, whose shoulder was bleeding heavily, ran over to Artis.

"I can't feel a pulse!" Reyva said.

"No..." Perdi moaned.

"This can't be happening!" Dhalia cried.

Amelia rose to her feet, murder in her eyes. She turned her head skywards. "You." Her voice was as cold and as hard as a glacier. "You're responsible for this."

Sasha descended, settling down upon the baked and scarred ground with a daintiness completely at odds with the scene before her.

"Yes, I am."

"You will pay for what you have caused here today." Amelia said. "Allanya said you would help us. You're even worse than your mother. No one uses Necromancy, let alone teaches it. No one."

"Tomorrow, you and all your friends will die. I will kill you myself. Enjoy your little victory while it lasts." Sasha took to the air.

"Magi Scan." Amelia whispered, scowling at Sasha's receding form. "Enjoy your last day in this world Sasha. Now I know how to beat you." Amelia turned back to her friends.

"What do we do?" Perdi asked, holding Artis's head in her lap.

"Artis..." Reyva mourned.

"We have to keep moving." Dhalia said. "She would have wanted us to."

"Wait!" Amelia said. "There's something I want to try first."

"What?" Perdi's eyes were full of desperation, begging Amelia to make it not so.

"If the Dragon Flame can be used to command spirits..." Amelia pulled out the Ember Stones. "Then maybe there's a chance."

**A/N: Um, not sure what to say here. I'll just let this one go. See everyone next chapter.**


	11. Artis

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club.**

**Lot of reviews for the last chapter, although I kind of expected that. I did kill two characters off. ...No one cares about Ekroin, do they? I didn't think so.**

**I should explain why Necromancy is so taboo. I divide what's regard as Necromancy into three categories: Resurrection, necromancy, and Necromancy (note the capitol letter). Simple necromancy is like what Elise could do before Eclipsis killed her. This is summoning spirits to communicate with them, and, if they are amenable, fight with them. This is quite legal, and has uses all over the Magic Dimension. Some of its biggest uses are in law enforcement, entertainment, and education. It's also sometimes used for therapy, although some question if it does more harm than good. Resurrection is also legal, although it's very difficult. If the person is truly dead (Daphne wasn't dead, she was a disembodied spirit) then it's virtually impossible to bring back someone who's been dead for more than twenty four hours. (The Winx managed to break that rule when they brought back Nabu, but the process by which they pulled that off is so stupidly complex that I'm not going to get into it here.) These means resurrection is more in the nature of a magically assisted Near Death Experience. This brings us to Necromancy. Necromancy is the creation of undead. This is morally repugnant because it involves enslaving someone's soul and forcing it to power the body of an undead creature. Ick. However, there's another reason it's not used: They're incredibly dangerous to the person summoning them. More often than not, they break free from the person controlling them in a matter of hours, and they tend to attack the person who created them, making Necromancy too foul for most and too dangerous for the rest.**

**So, after a not-at-all-deliberate delay, this chapter is ready to go.**

Amelia pulled one of the Ember Stones from the group. "Dhalia, do you know CPR?"

"Yes."

"Try to get her heart going." Amelia continued, speaking quickly. "Perdi, I need you to help shield her mind. This is going to be a shock and I don't want to hurt her anymore than we have to. Reyva, look at Perdi's shoulder."

"Okay." Perdi barely even noticed the pain in her shoulder. Artis needed her.

"On it." Reyva grabbed the medical kit they had and began to treat the deep cut Perdi had suffered. Dhalia began to perform CPR on Artis's unresponsive body while Perdi place her hands on the sides of Artis's head.

"Alright, let's do this." Amelia held the Ember Stone in her cupped hands. Closing her eyes, she focused all her power into the small sphere. When she took her hands away, the orb remained, floating. It cracked, flames licking out from it, then shattered, leaving nothing but a small burning flame hovering in midair. Amelia grabbed the flame. It was very hot, but it did not burn her. She split the flame between her hands, then touched Artis's head and chest.

A brilliant light flashed, and all four of the Classix were blasted away from Artis's body. She began to glow white, then she opened her eyes.

"What? I'm...I'm alive?" Artis sat up, her eyes wild. "NO! Great Dragon curse you Altivix, just let me die!"

"...Artis?" Perdi asked, utterly shocked.

Artis's head snapped around to face Perdi. Her eyes went impossibly wide. Then she collapsed.

"Artis!" The girls rushed over to her.

"She's breathing." Reyva said with a sigh of relief.

"We have to find a safe place to rest." Dhalia said. "We'll figure out what happened to Artis when she wakes up."

"Perdi, are you okay to travel?" Amelia asked.

"I think so."

"Can you fly?"

"Probably not."

"Then we walk. Reyva, can you carry Artis?"

"Not a problem." Reyva gently picked up the unconscious girl.

"Let's move." Dhalia said. "I see some hills over that way." She pointed to the East. "Maybe we can find some shelter there."

They started marching.

* * *

The girls were soon in among the hills. The sun was sinking as they began to search for some sort of shelter from the creatures of the night. There was nothing.

"Not even a single cave!" Dhalia exclaimed. "And this is dirt, not rock. My powers won't work here either!"

"I have an idea." Reyva said. "Reality Warp!" The hills seemed to move and stretch of their own accord, forming a circular wall around the Classix. When she'd arranged them the way she liked, Reyva severed the spell. Panting with exertion, she sat down. "That should do it."

"Thanks Reyva." Amelia said. She looked at the wall. "I never thought I'd see horizontal grass."

"To be fair, I never thought I'd see a resurrection." Dhalia said. "You did something amazing Amelia."

"Then why doesn't it feel amazing?" Amelia turned to her friends. "You heard what Artis said. She _wanted _to die. What could have done this to her?"

"I guess we'll find out when she wakes up." Perdi said.

* * *

The stars were bright tonight. They shone down with a cold, uncaring brilliance upon the Classix. Reyva continued to tend to Perdi's injuries while Dhalia and Amelia set up camp.

A figure dropped down from above. "Horizontal grass? How did you manage that one?"

"Nyssa, we're not in the mood for this tonight." Amelia said.

"I saw the body. What happened?"

"They used Necromancy. They summoned a horde of fire skeletons and had them attack us." Dhalia said. "We were about to lose when Artis intervened."

"She beat them all. She got rid of all the undead, and she killed Ekroin." Perdi said.

"All by herself?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"We're not sure, but it cost her her life." Amelia said.

"Then why is she opening her eyes?"

They turned to their friend. She was awake.

"Artis!" Perdi exclaimed.

"Huh? Who...Who are you? Who's Artis?"

The Classix stared at her in shock.

"You're Artis." Perdi said.

"I am? I can't even remember my own name, it's been so long." She looked around at the four girls clustered around her. "Who are you again?"

"We're your friends. The Classix." Amelia looked at Artis in horror. What had happened to Artis?

"...It sounds vaguely familiar, but I can't place it."

"I'm Amelia. You know me. You're my friend."

"I'm sorry, but I don't know you, Amelia." Artis looked at the ground. "I don't know anyone."

"Perdi, there must be something you can do!" Dhalia said. "Something!"

"I can try." Perdi focused on Artis.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to find your memories."

"Why?"

"So I can give you back yourself. Memory Surge!"

"What-? Ahhhh!" Artis grabbed her head in her hands. "I- I remember!"

"Good!"

"I...remember...NO!" Artis broke into tears.

"Artis, what happened to you?"

"I think I know." Perdi said. "She used Time Flash."

"The spell that lets her live about thirty minutes in the space of a second?"

"Yes."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Reyva asked.

"We're in Altivix. It didn't last for thirty minutes."

"How long..."

"A hundred years." Artis sobbed out. "A hundred cursed years. A hundred years of NOTHING!"

**A/N: Uh, yeah. Artis is not having a good day. Or a good century. **

**A quick response to the guest who predicted Artis would be coming back because it was "obvious". You were right, she did come back. And she's not happy about this. I didn't bring her back to be nice. I brought her back because I'm not done putting her through the wringer. **

**As for exactly how that worked, it was in way a soul-for-a-soul exchange. The Ember Stones are the physical remains of an Ember Blade's soul. By completely using one's power, Amelia was able to call back Artis's soul. However, Artis was dead for less than ten minutes, making the whole thing possible in the first place. **

**That's it for this chapter. See you all next chapter when we deal with some of the psychological damage Artis has suffered. Oh I feel so evil right now.**


	12. What You Leave Behind

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club. Trust me, if I did, Bloom would be going through some serious therapy after what happened back in season two. **

**One thing I'd like to address before moving into this chapter, Altivix works like Univix in reverse. If you go there, your powers will grow stronger and stronger. Until you leave. Then, every last scrap of magical ability is torn away from you. That's why it's so important for the Classix to find Eclipsis and force her through the portal back to the Magic Dimension. Just getting her here is only half the battle. **

**Now, back to abusing Artis!**

The Classix could only stare at Artis in shock. A hundred years? They couldn't even imagine it.

"I'm leaving." Nyssa said, her wings forming behind her. "You guys are about to get way too sappy for me." She jumped into the air, oblivious to the glares being shot at her.

They turned back to Artis. "Tell us what happened." Dhalia asked, her voice soft. Artis just continued sobbing. "Please Artis, we're your friends. We want to help you."

"Artis, you're safe now." Perdi said, hugging the still-sobbing girl. "You can tell us."

Artis looked up, eyes full of tears. "I-I-I don't know how."

"Start at the beginning." Amelia said. "What happened after you cast your spell?"

Artis wiped her eyes and leaned back against the grassy wall of the hole. "I- I killed him." Her voice became hard and cold. "I killed that man."

"Ekroin?" Amelia asked.

"Yes. I killed him for what he'd done to us. To all of us. But especially for what he did to Perdi."

"How?" Reyva asked.

"I stabbed him. Over, and over, and over again." Artis looked back at the ground.

"Artis?" Perdi's voice was worried.

"I...I _enjoyed it_. It felt so good to repay him for what he did to Perdi." Artis looked back up. "And then, I brought him into my time, so I could watch him die."

"Artis..."

"I killed him. I was so angry that I couldn't stop myself." Artis looked away again. "I didn't even want to."

"Artis, he was evil. He-"

"Don't try to justify what I did Reyva." Artis snapped. "He was a person. And now he's not. And I'm the one who did it."

"Artis..."

"Why don't you tell us what happened next?" Dhalia said, trying to defuse the situation.

"Next? I knocked out the other four Ember Blades and destroyed their army. That took most of a day."

"And then what?"

"And then nothing. I kept waiting for the spell to end. It never did. I spent ten years waiting, using magic to create food and water. Nothing happened.

"Then I realized that the only way out would be for me find a way to disrupt the spell. So I started trying various counterspells. Nothing worked.

"I wandered Altivix for several decades, trying to find something, anything that could break the spell. I found nothing."

Artis paused for a minute, then continued. "That was when I began to lose myself. I'd already taken to talking to myself to pass the time, but then I started talking to myself without realizing it was me I was talking to. I'd have conversations with people I thought were there, people who were dead, people who were still alive, people I never even knew. I even started talking to a rock. I still have that rock actually." She pulled a small stone out of her pocket. "It was my companion. I'd talk to it everywhere we went. And sometimes it would talk back."

"Artis, how-" Amelia's face a study in confusion.

"How did this happen to her?" Perdi asked. "She was isolated for decades! It's amazing that she isn't completely insane!"

"Oh, I was Perdi. I was." Artis gave a weak smile. "For a time I completely lost my mind."

"What brought you out of it?" Dhalia asked.

"I don't think anything really brought me out of it. I just had a sudden realization."

"What was that?"

"That the only way out of this was to kill myself."

"What?" Four voices rang out in complete shock.

"Yes. It was the only way out. I'd tried everything else. This was my only option left."

"Artis..." Perdi's voice held boundless horror within it. How could Artis make that choice?

"I came back to where it all began. I would die beside the body of Ekroin."

"How did you..." Reyva asked, morbid curiosity getting the better of her.

"I used my magic to stop my heart."

"So that's why there was no sign of injury!" Reyva exclaimed.

"I guess so. It didn't really hurt. I just sort of fell asleep."

"And then I brought you back to life." Amelia said.

"I suppose you did. I just remember waking up, realizing I was still alive, and then Perdi calling my name."

"Will you be alright?" Dhalia asked.

"No. I'll never be alright."

* * *

Nyssa returned about an hour later. She quickly healed Perdi's shoulder, then left again.

"Why did she keep looking at Artis like that?" Reyva wondered as she ate her dinner.

"You noticed that too?" Dhalia said. "I thought it was just me."

"It's almost like she feels guilty about what happened." Perdi said. She had gone to sit next to Artis while the other girl slept.

"She does." Amelia said.

"How do you know?" Dhalia asked.

"I'm not sure, but I do."

"Alright." Dhalia glanced around. "I know this isn't the best time, but we need to talk about Sasha."

"She said she's going to kill us tomorrow." Reyva said. "I don't think she's lying."

"No, I don't think she is either," Dhalia said, "but what do we do about it?"

"We can't fight her head-on," Reyva said, "and I don't think we can out run her either."

"Then what can we do?" Perdi asked.

"We have to think of something that will give us an advantage." Dhalia said. "Something that will even the odds."

"What about the Ember Stones?" Perdi asked.

"They're not strong enough." Amelia replied.

"Maybe your earring can help?" Perdi asked, a little desperate.

"Maybe." Amelia said. "I actually have an idea, and I think it will work, but I can't be sure."

"And what is this idea of yours?" Dhalia asked.

"First, I need to prepare. It's a good thing we still have four Ember Stones, because I'm going to need one for this."

"And then what?"

"Then, when we meet Sasha again tomorrow, we surrender."

**A/N: Well, that's promising. Amelia is clearly Up To Something, but just what does she have in mind? You'll find out next chapter. Either Sasha falls, or the Classix die. **

**Well, not much else to say, so I'm just going to end the chapter right here. See you all next time.**


	13. Midday Dawn

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club.**

**I was going to wait on this chapter, despite the fact that I've had it planned out for weeks, but the cast was feeling impatient. Sasha in particular. She gets cranky when she's left out of the story for more than a chapter.**

**Once again, I want to thank you guys for all your support, and in particular, I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate a special milestone for this series. For the first time, all three books in this trilogy have been placed into a community! I couldn't be more thrilled by this, and I hope to continue to live up to the expectations of readers past, present, and future. Also, as I write this, book three is four reviews away from being my most reviewed story. If the current trend continues, we'll have those four reviews easily. Especially after this chapter. You guys are going to have quite a bit to talk about, even if only to say "I knew it!" or "I did not see that coming.". **

**With the festivities out of the way, let's get back to the story. **

Dawn broke over the rolling hills of Altivix as the Classix climbed out of their hole in the ground. A feeling of dreadful importance settled over the girls as they started walking. If the map Nyssa had given them was accurate, they would reach Melivon shortly before nightfall, even without flying. None of them expected it to be that easy.

"When do you think Sasha will arrive?" Perdi asked. She and Artis were walking side by side.

"I don't know," Dhalia said, "but I doubt she'll wait for very long."

"She doesn't want us to reach Melivon." Amelia said. "My guess is that she'll be waiting somewhere between here and there."

"We could always try to go around her." Perdi offered.

"No, I don't think that will work." Reyva replied. "She's proven that she's at least as fast as we are, and that she has no difficulty finding us."

"What if Amelia's plan doesn't work?"

"Then we improvise." Dhalia said. "At least one of us needs to make it to Melivon. Once we're there, we may be able to find help." She glanced at the sky, checking for Sasha. "We'll need it to take down Eclipsis."

* * *

The Classix continued their trek through the soft green hills. Birds sang, various animals cavorted across the landscape, and the occasional stream meandered in among the hills, laughing as it bubbled across the land. Flowers were blooming everywhere, from the ground to the occasional tree, to lily pads floating in little ponds.

"This place is beautiful." Amelia's voice was soft. "No wonder they built their town around here."

"I know." Dhalia said. "It's just so peaceful."

"Yeah. Peaceful." Amelia's voice was wistful and melancholy. The contrast between their surroundings and their circumstances was almost painful.

"Come on girls!" Reyva said from atop the next hill. "I think I see Melivon!"

The rest of the Classix hurried up to Reyva's side. Looking down, the hills gave way to a flat meadow that turned into fields of ripe wheat and orchards flush with the most beautiful looking fruit the Classix had ever seen. Beyond the farms was small city. Melivon.

"There it is." Dhalia said. "I guess Nyssa was telling the truth after all!"

"What is that sound?" Artis asked.

"Huh?" Four pairs of eyes turned to the girl.

"What sound?" Perdi asked. "I don't hear anything."

"No, I hear it too." Reyva said. "It sounds like a swarm of bees."

"It's coming from over there." Dhalia said, pointing to the south. A swarm of creatures hung in the sky, moving towards the Classix with alarming speed.

"What _are_ those things?" Reyva asked. The bizarre beasts looked like the punchline to a bad joke. They had the bodies of small dragons, but with the wings of a dragonfly and the tail of a rabbit. Their heads resembled the head of a crocodile, and their necks were as long as the rest of their bodies. They flew awkwardly, but quickly.

"I think those are Wornath Drakes." Perdi said. "They were hunted to extinction almost a century ago because they posed too much of a threat."

"Really?" Reyva asked. "They don't seem that dangerous. They look more ridiculous than frightening."

One of the drakes opened its mouth. A line of electricity arced across the sky in front of it.

"Ah. Now it makes more sense."

"Where's Sasha?" Dhalia asked.

"Right here." A shadow swept over the Classix as Sasha dropped from behind a cloud, swooping down to land neatly in front of them. "I did promise I would kill you."

"Nice." Amelia said. "What's with the army?"

"They're just here to keep you from running away." The drakes were now almost on top of them. Rather than attack, they spread out, surrounding the Classix.

"So fairies, this is your final hour." Sasha looked down at the five girls. "What's the matter? No last minute heroics? No foolish attempts to make me see the error of my ways? No more tricks up your tiny little sleeves? You haven't even transformed!"

Reyva bristled, but Dhalia's hand stopped her from moving. Amelia stepped forwards. "No. We surrender."

Sasha blinked. "What?"

"We surrender."

"Why?" Sasha asked, suspicious.

"We can't win against you. You're too powerful, too fast, and too clever for us to beat. And you have an army."

"What do you expect to gain out of surrendering?" Sasha asked, a gleam in her eyes.

"If we can't beat you, we might as well give up on our mission. After all, your mother is even stronger than you are. At this point it doesn't really matter what we do. We've already lost."

"I am the ruler of Altivix!" Sasha roared. "No one is stronger than I am!"

"I'm afraid it's true." Amelia said. "I'm the fairy of magic. I can sense these things."

"Impossible!"

"I'm afraid not. She is the Queen of Monsters after all." Amelia glanced down. "Although..."

"What is it?"

"There just might be a way for you to... No, it wouldn't work. Never mind."

"What wouldn't work?"

"Well, there might be a way to make you stronger, but I don't think it would be enough. Eclipsis is so much stronger than you are, not even this will help."

"She is not!"

"Unless you're stronger than I think, she is."

"You're wrong! I am the greatest being in Altivix!"

"You don't even stand a chance against her. Even with my help, you'd probably be weaker than her. It would be close though. I could be wrong."

"You are!"

"Alright, if you'd like to prove it, I can boost your power right now."

"Then do so! Before I kill you!"

"Okay, okay, settle down. It's quite simple actually." Amelia pulled out her old earring. It was pure white as always, but it seemed to glow even more than it had before. "I just put this on your right ear and its powers will flow into you."

Amelia stepped forwards. This had to work. Combining the power of the earring with the power of the Ember Stone was the only way this was possible, and even then, it had taken the combined power of all five Classix modify and enhance the enchantments already in place within the small stone.

Amelia took another step. Then another. And another. She slowly walked up to Sasha's lowered head under the dragon's careful scrutiny. Amelia carefully attached the earring to Sasha, then stepped back.

"I feel nothing." Sasha said. "You lied to me! Just like everyone else!"

"You don't feel anything yet because I haven't released it to you yet. It's still connected to me. Easy enough to fix, just a quick spell."

"This had better work. For your sake."

"Relax. Spell Synch!" The earring flashed a brilliant white, and Sasha's eyes went wide.

"Yes, I can feel the magic! It's flowing into me! It's-" She turned on Amelia. "You tricked me!"

Amelia's expression was somewhere between cheeky and downright smug. "Yes I did. Goodbye Sasha."

The dragon before them began to glow with a brilliant light. Then she began to shrink. She went from the size of a small ship, to the size of a small car, to the size of a person. When the light faded, a girl lay on her side where the dragon had been, sound asleep. Her long brown hair went halfway down her back, and a sword was strapped to her belt. Her hair was pushed back to reveal another earring, this one jet black.

"Nyssa." Amelia said. "I was right."

**A/N: Go back and look at the earlier chapters. See if you can spot the clues Amelia did. There's a few I haven't shared with you yet, but Amelia is going to explain how she put this all together next chapter. Assuming the Wornath Drakes don't get them first.**

**That's all for this chapter. Sasha, you got exactly what you asked for, so stop complaining. Don't make me break out my author powers. You wouldn't like it. Anyways, I'll see you all next chapter. **


	14. Solarian Light

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club.**

**This chapter and the next were originally going to be one chapter, but I decided that the new character deserved a full chapter for her introduction. Amelia's, Nyssa's, and Allanya's explanations are going to be delayed. Sorry, but I think you'll like my friend here. After all, she did help found Solaria.**

**On another note, Artis's powers are about to get really weird, so I'll do my best to explain what she's doing at the bottom. Most of these new moves are really inefficient, but Artis has spent a hundred years getting stronger so she can still get some use out of them. She's by far the most powerful member of the team now, and she has much greater control over her powers.**

**Anyways, on with the story!**

The Classix stared at the sleeping girl. Sure, Amelia had explained her theory to them, but they hadn't actually believed it. But now...

"It really is her." Reyva said. She paused for a moment. "She'd better have a really good explanation for all this."

"That can wait." Dhalia replied. "Right now we have bigger problems to worry about."

The Wornath Drakes had seen the fall of their leader. The volume of the buzzing increased menacingly. The circle of flying oddities tightened.

"Girls, time to transform." Amelia said. "Let's go Magix!"

(Cue transformation music)

"We have to protect Nyssa." Amelia said.

"Why?" Reyva demanded. "She's the same creature who attacked us!"

"Just trust me on this one. It's important."

"Whatever you say, but if this goes wrong I'm blaming you."

"Enough." Dhalia said. "Let's do this."

The creatures swarmed around in spiraling cloud of lightning and claws, their wings pushing them to unbelievable speeds.

"Chronal Concussion!" Artis yelled. A shock wave ripped out from her, striking a dozen of the beasts from the sky.

"Since when can you do that?" Perdi exclaimed in surprise. She'd never seen Artis do anything like that before.

"Since about eighty years ago."

"Oh."

"You learn a lot about your powers when you spend years trying to break one of your own spells."

"Shock Shell!" Dhalia shouted. A sphere of electricity went up around the Classix as lightning bolts poured in from the beasts. Dhalia was driven to her knees by the force of the assault.

"Dhalia!" Amelia shouted. "Look out!"

One of the beasts dove into the wall of lightning. Bolts of electricity rippled across its body, frying it. It fell to the ground, dead. The shield went down, its power spent. The beasts closed in as Dhalia collapsed.

"Mystic Spark!" Amelia shouted, shooting small orbs of magic from her outstretched hands as she shot into the air. Spinning like a top, she scattered the orbs across the oncoming horde of drakes. Small explosions filled the air as the orbs began to detonate. Many of the drakes fell from the sky, badly injured, but many more still flew.

"Gravity Crush!" Reyva shouted. The force of gravity quadrupled on a squad of the beasts, dragging them to the ground and crushing them with their own weight. Soon they resembled nothing so much as flattened bugs.

Bolts of lightning rained down upon the Classix.

"Chronal Distortion!" Artis shouted. Time began to twist around the Classix, diverting most of the blasts. However, she wasn't fast enough to stop all of them, and several bolts struck Amelia and Reyva. The two fairies fell to the ground, barely conscious.

"Back to back!" Artis shouted. She and Perdi hovered together, each guarding the other.

"Perdi, if we don't make it through this..."

"Yes Artis?"

"...I'm glad I got to see you again."

"Thanks Artis." Perdi placed her hands on her temples. "Mind Shock!"

A pulse of psychic energy blasted out from Perdi, blasting the creatures' minds with a ravening power. Many fell from the sky, roaring in pain. The rest kept coming.

"They're about to hit my shield!" Artis said. "I won't be able to hold them off!"

"Solar Screen!" A voice shouted. A wall of golden light went up around the girls, cutting off the beasts. Through the golden veil Artis and Perdi could only watch in disbelief as a fairy, three witches, and a wizard cut down the beasts with amazing speed. Soon, all that remained was a collection of oversized dragonfly wings. The shield went down.

"Are you girls okay?" The fairy asked as she landed in front of them. Her long golden hair streamed behind her and her bright yellow dress shone in the sun.

"We're fine, thank you." Artis said. "Who are you?"

"My name is Luminé, first queen of Solaria and commander of Melivon's Midnight Sun team."

"Luminé, these girls need help!" One of the witches said from where the other Classix lay. Her hair was jet black and she wore a skintight jumpsuit of the same color.

"Understood. We'll take them to Vivian. Umbra, Corona, can you take them?"

"No problem." Said another witch who looked identical to the first one, save that her hair and outfit were bright white. "What about Nocta and Selvus?" She pointed to the other two members of the team. One was a witch with very faintly purple hair and a dark blue dress. The other was a wizard who wore an almost comical pointed hat and robe. Both the hat and the robe were a dark blue with a pattern of stars strewn across them.

"They'll stay behind to clean up."

"Oh good, I was hoping to add a few more of the wings to my collection." The woman named Nocta said.

"Don't get carried away." Luminé said. "But if you find any of the red ones..."

"All yours. I already have three."

"Thanks Nocta. Midnight Suns, let's go."

* * *

Melivon was the strangest city Perdi had ever been in. Magix included. There was even more magic here than in Magix, but the city itself seemed almost confused about where and when it was from. Different styles of architecture were everywhere, from small castles to tree houses to a house made of different colors of glass. People walked past in outfits that ranged from forgotten to ancient to the merely outdated. Extinct animals wandered around as pets and mounts. Perdi wished she had a dozen more eyes so she could take everything in.

Luminé suddenly came to a stop. Turning left, she walked up to a simple building composed of uncut logs, stacked together. "This is where you friends will stay while they are healed."

"What about us?" Perdi asked.

"You are free to stay here too until your friends are well." Luminé looked out towards the edge of the city. "We'll see about giving you a more permanent home once you've settled in."

"We're not staying." Artis said.

Luminé turned to Artis with an expression of mild surprise. "You intend to leave Altivix?"

"Yes. We came here for a reason. Our mission won't be complete until we return to the Magic Dimension."

Luminé paused for a moment, then chuckled. "Well then. We don't get many temporary residents here. Most people stay once they realize what they'll lose if they leave. May I ask why this is so important to you?"

"Yes. Once our friends are awake."

"Alright then." Luminé said. She knocked on the door and a young woman stepped out. "This is Vivian, our best healer. Hello Vivian."

"Hello Luminé." Vivian said. "New patients for me?"

"Yes, four."

"Bring them in." She glanced past Luminé to see the others gathered there. "Hello Umbra. Hello Corona."

"Hello Vivian."

"And hello to the two of you." Vivian said to Artis and Perdi. "Is there anything I can do to help you get settled?"

"They're not staying." Luminé said.

"They're not? You mean they plan to leave Altivix?"

"That's what they said."

"Well then." Vivian looked the two Classix up and down. "Why would you want to do that?"

Artis and Perdi remained silent.

"Oh well, I don't suppose it matters. Bring your friends in. I'll have them good as new in no time." Vivian turned back into the building and the women followed her.

**A/N: Well that was fun. Luminé is fun. Umbra and Corona are fun too. Little fact about them, they're twins. One is a witch of darkness, the other is a witch of light. (If you don't think light is a suitably witchy power, I beg to differ. One spell, instant sunburn.) Nocta is a witch of twilight (no, not that Twilight, I mean dawn and dusk), and Selvus is a wizard of the stars. Luminé is of course the fairy of the sun, much like her descendant Stella.**

**Now, Artis's new spell, Chronal Concussion. This spell works by using a mixture of accelerated and decelerated time to synchronize little currents in the air, resulting in a shock wave as they combine. Time manipulation is a lot more versatile than you'd think.**

**That's all for now, next chapter we should get some explanations. Unless I decide to write a filler chapter of Perdi and Artis in Melivon. That could be fun.**

**One minor side note, Wornath is pronounced VOR-NATH. Yes, it's pronounced as though it had a v in it.**


	15. Revelations, Part the First

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club. **

**Alright, time for some answers. After a segment from my new favorite secondary character. **

**Vasyl, I have a quick question for you. Who is Angelique? This is the first I've heard of her. In any case, Umbra and Corona weren't inspired by her. They were inspired by this series's continuing fascination with opposites. Seriously, there's opposites out the yin-yang! (Groan. Why do I write these puns?)**

**Also, Cyborg, it was kind of supposed to. **

**Moving on. The popular question of the day seems to be how all these people ended up in Altivix. Well some were born here, such as Umbra and Corona, some came here on a mission, such as the Classix, while others, such as Nocta, came here by accident. Altivix used to be a lot easier to get to, until ****_someone_**** put the planet that houses its entrance into a deep freeze.**

**Anyways, on with the story!**

The inside of the building was a sharp contrast to its exterior. While on the outside it appeared to be a log cabin of sorts, the inside was a stark, hospital-like environment. The entrance stretched into a long hallway, smaller rooms on either side. A set of stairs lay to their right. Several other people rushed about, carrying herbs and pots of ointments.

"This way." Vivian said, beckoning the others towards one of the larger side rooms. Perdi, Artis, Corona, and Umbra followed, carrying the four unconscious fairies with them. Luminé brought up the rear.

"Set them down on the tables." Vivian said. The room held five examination tables and a trio of chairs by the door. The walls were covered in cupboards and shelves stocked with various medicines and other healing supplies. One girl was placed on each of the first four tables as Vivian went about gathering various supplies.

"If we're not needed here, we should get back to patrolling." Corona said.

"Yeah, there's been rumors of Drekyar Striders to the north." Umbra said.

"Go on you two." Luminé said. "But wait for me outside." She called after them as they fled the building.

"Your granddaughters are as impatient as ever." Vivian said.

"Tell me about it." Luminé said. "I'd better go. Thanks for taking care of these girls."

"Not a problem. You know how much this means to me."

"See you later." Luminé said as she followed her rambunctious grandchildren out.

* * *

"Now, let's see what we have here." Vivian said. She walked over to Nyssa. "Hmm, you're just sleeping. I think I'll let you keep sleeping."

She continued on to Dhalia. "Ah, magical exhaustion. A simple problem."

"But I thought magical drainage was one of the hardest injuries to treat." Perdi said.

"I said simple, not easy."

"Oh."

"Fortunately I have just the thing." She said, grabbing what looked like a bottle of literally sparkling water. "Fairy dust blended with vinegar and herbs!"

Oblivious to the looks of disgust on the two girls' faces, she administered a small portion of the noxious liquid to Dhalia. Even unconscious, she grimaced as it went down. "And now a quick burst of magic to activate it!" She pushed some of her power into Dhalia who glowed for a moment, then returned to normal. "Ah, that should do it."

She moved on to Amelia and Reyva. "Mild electrocution. Mild burns. An easy fix." She grabbed a small jar of ointment and smeared it on the girls' burns. She also sprinkled some powder on them. Once again, she used her power to activate the medicines.

"Now for the two of you." She turned to Artis and Perdi. "You've both suffered recent injuries." She pointed at Perdi. "Let's start with you." She began grabbing small balls of light out of thin air with her right hand and collecting them in her left. "Your shoulder was injured by a cutting weapon, likely a sword. It healed quickly, but in a natural manner. Probably due to magical assistance. "

"How do you know all this?" Perdi asked in confusion.

"Healer's Sight my girl." Vivian grabbed one final orb and gathered them all together. With both hands she formed them into a ball the size of a small orange. "Even with magical assistance, natural healing can be imperfect. I expect you've been suffering some low-grade pain from your shoulder, maybe some twinges when you try to move or use it."

"I hadn't really noticed."

"Ah, you're one of those, oblivious to the pain. Well, you've suffered some permanent damage to the muscles there. I can fix that." She took the orb and let go of it, leaving it hovering it midair. Using nothing but magic, she turned it into a string, twisted it into a spiral, compressed it back into a ball, pulled it out into the shape of a butterfly, turned the butterfly into a ribbon, tied the ribbon in a knot, unraveled the ribbon into a dozen little strands that flew back together to form the ball. She squished the ball down to the size of a grape, placed it on her hand, then flicked it into Perdi's chest. Perdi glowed for a moment, then went back to normal. The whole time Vivian had a slightly alarming smile on her face.

"You have way too much fun with your job." Artis accused.

"Guilty as charged." Vivian's grin got even wider. "Your turn."

"What? But there's nothing wrong with me!"

"You recently suffered a heart attack and a severe shock, neither of which does good things to your body." Vivian said, pulling more orbs out of the air. "Although I can't figure out why you had a heart attack. You're in fairly good health, no underlying conditions, no real reason."

"I'm not going to explain it to you, so don't ask."

"Alright then." Vivian repeated the process with the orb, now with even more theatrics. "There, good as new."

"You're insane." Artis said.

"No, I just enjoy what I do. There's a difference."

"Where did you learn all this anyways?" Perdi asked.

"Some of it I learned here, but most of it I learned at the Cloud Tower School for Healing."

Perdi and Artis stared at her. Cloud Tower School for Healing?

"Of course it was still new at the time, but it was such a wonderful place. Witches from all over the Magic Dimension coming together to learn to heal, or, at one of the other wings, how to defend innocent people from the fairies."

Fairies? Defend? WHAT?

"Particularly those three Ancestral Fairies. They were the worst, always spreading chaos and misery."

Perdi and Artis looked at each other. This woman was clearly off her rocker.

"I'm not crazy. It's the truth.

"But fairies are the ones who defend the peace, not witches." Artis complained.

"Not in my day. In my day, fairies were a menace. We witches were the only ones who could stop them."

"But the Ancestrals weren't fairies." Perdi said. "They were witches."

"I'll let Luminé explain the true nature of the Ancestrals to you. After all, she's the one who cursed them."

"What?"

"Oh, look at the time, I really must be going." Vivian bustled about putting things away. "It was nice to meet you two, uh..."

"Artis."

"Perdi."

"Artie and Perdis. Got it. Nice meeting you." She bustled out of the room.

Artis and Perdi stared at each other for a moment. "I guess we wait for them to wake up?" Artis said.

"I guess so." Perdi replied.

* * *

Artis sat waiting for the other girls to wake up. Including Perdi. The girl had fallen asleep with her head in Artis's lap. It had been a long day, and the other Classix just didn't have the same magic reserves as she now possessed. Artis stubbornly dragged her thoughts back to the present before she could go back down that rabbit hole. She was back with her friends. They were going to stop Eclipsis. Everything would work out.

She was brought out of her reverie by Amelia sitting up.

"Hey there."

"Artis? Where are we?"

"Melivon."

"How'd we get here?"

"Why don't we wait for the others to wake up before we start explaining things?"

"Alright. What happened to Perdi?"

"She's just tired."

"She looks so cute when she's sleeping."

"Yeah..." Artis smiled gently at the sleeping girl.

"You really should tell her."

"I should."

"But you won't?

"Probably not."

"Your loss." Amelia glanced around. "I guess we just wait for the others to wake up?"

"Yep."

"Okay then."

* * *

An hour later and all five of the Classix were awake. The sun was starting to sink towards the horizon as the Classix gathered for a quick meeting.

"So that's how we got here." Reyva said as Artis finished her explanation.

"Pretty much." Artis said.

"Alright then." Dhalia said. "Our next step is to find Eclipsis. Hopefully these people can help us."

"They probably will." Perdi said. "They seem like nice people."

"Good. Then tomorrow-" Dhalia was cut off as a faint sound came from Nyssa's direction. The Classix hurried over.

* * *

Nyssa slowly awoke from her sleep. Once again, she'd have spend the night trying make up for what she'd done during the day. Like she always did. Trying to make up for her lack of control.

What had she done during the day? It was all a big blur. She opened her eyes. Then immediately closed them again. It was so bright! Where was she? She opened her eyes slowly, giving them time to adjust.

She was in a building. She was INSIDE a building. She hadn't slept in a building in ten thousand years! What was going on? And why was she Nyssa when it was still light out? That didn't make any...sense.

The events of the past day came rushing back to her and she bolted upright.

"You're awake." Dhalia's voice was hard and brittle. She was stating a fact. Nothing more.

"I...I..."

"Are you okay?" Amelia asked. Unlike Dhalia's, her voice held an edge of emotion. She seemed actually worried about her.

Nyssa stared at Amelia for a long moment. Then she tackled the girl in a powerful hug. "Thank you!"

"Easy there. You're crushing my ribs. I still need those."

"Sorry."

"So, I believe you have some explaining to do." Reyva said. If Dhalia's voice had been brittle, Reyva's was an icicle. Cold, hard, and unforgiving.

"I...Yes, I owe you an explanation."

"Then tell."

"I...I am Sasha. That's my real name."

"We figured that one out."

"Well, Allanya gave me a pair of earrings that let me be a fairy. When I'm a fairy, I can control myself."

"And when you're not?"

"...I can't. I'm so angry I can't control my own actions. I...I do horrible things." Nyssa said, tears forming in her eyes.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Artis's voice was soft. It wasn't exactly friendly, but it wasn't hostile either.

"Would you?"

"...No, I guess not."

Nyssa turned back to Amelia. "How did you figure it out?"

"There were clues everywhere. When you said you were the fairy of Night, you tripped up and almost said you were the fairy of Night and what I guessed was Day. Then I saw you with an earring just like the one I'd lost. We never saw you and Sasha together. It seemed strange that Sasha only appeared during the day. Most monsters are stronger at night. And the fact that Sasha saved us from Koroboras. That was strange. And then you both described your life in Altivix as 'half a life'. And you knew so much about the Ember Blades and the Ember Stones. Like you had firsthand experience with them. And then, the night before our last encounter with the Ember Blades, I saw you holding a small box. You pulled out another, broken earring, and it all came together. After our last fight with the Ember Blades, I scanned you as Sasha. I found the magical signature of the earring, confirming it. I also figured out how to use my old earring to duplicate the power of yours."

"You really were paying attention."

"If I had really been paying attention I'd have figured it out before Artis paid the price."

"So now what?"

"Now, we get an explanation from someone else." Amelia turned to the other girls. "We're going to contact Allanya. And she's going to tell us everything this time."

**A/N: Well then, explanations all around. I just noticed, this is chapter fifteen. If we're following tradition, then this is the second to last chapter. Good thing we're not following tradition. Next chapter is probably going to end up as the midpoint for this book, so we still have quite a number of chapters left to go. Next chapter will mark the end of the first story arc for this book though. Sixteen chapters just to resolve Nyssa/Sasha. I'm looking forward to seeing how she works as a member of the team.**

**For those who think Nyssa was a little soft in this chapter, I remind you that she hasn't seen the light of day in ten thousand years. She's been trapped as a monster during the day every day for ten millennia. She's entitled to a little emotion.**

**I hope to have the next chapter up soon, preferably by Friday. It's an interesting conjunction of a full moon and Friday the thirteenth. Statistically speaking, this only happens once ever sixteen and a half years or so. So why not use this time to reveal the full story of my main villain, Eclipsis? See you all next time.**


	16. Revelations, Part the Second

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club.**

**Here we are, chapter sixteen. Oh boy, do we have a lot of ground to cover. You guys are going to get the full story of Allanya, Eclipsis, Gorman (the first wizard), Sasha, her brother, and ****_both_**** sets of earrings. After this it should all make sense. Well, almost all.**

**Before we get started, I wanted to cover the period Vivian talked about. Yes, fairies and witches were once in opposite roles. It was a harsh time that came in the wake of a magical disaster that damaged every world in the entire Magic Dimension. Fairies, being much more in tune with the magic of their worlds than witches, felt the effect most strongly. Many fairies became aggressive, hostile, almost feral. (Sort of like the Earth fairies in season four, but ten times worse.) Witches were forced to take a stand against the depredations of the fairies, which lead to the creation of Cloud Tower. Several hundred years later and the universe healed, returning things to their normal state. Most people have forgotten about this era, and both fairies and witches have tried to rewrite history to show the fairies as the protectors and the witches as the menace, albeit for different reasons. Today, most people regard any accurate texts referring to this time period as either mistakes in translation or copying errors.**

**Alright, on with the story!**

The other Classix looked at Amelia. Contact Allanya? Only Perdi had ever managed that, and only indirectly.

"Come on girls. If Dhalia, Reyva, and Perdi work together, I'm sure they can do it."

"Maybe," Dhalia said, "but what do you hope to gain?"

"We can't keep fighting blind." Amelia said. "She's been keeping secrets from us. It's time we had the truth."

"Alright then."

Nyssa was edging towards the door. "If you need me, I'll be outside."

"Oh no, you don't." Reyva grabbed the girl. "You're staying right here."

"Reyva's right." Amelia said. "You should be here for this too."

"I really don't think that's a good idea."

"And why not?" Dhalia asked, suspicious.

"Because if I get angry enough the earrings won't be enough. I'll turn back into Sasha."

"And why would you be angry?"

"I have a long history with her. I'm not interested in seeing her again."

"Too bad, you're staying here." Reyva said.

"But what if-?"

"If you lose control I can freeze you in time." Artis said. "We'll have plenty of time to get you out of the city so you can work out your problems."

"No one's powerful enough to freeze me."

"That would be true, if I was trying to simply immobilize you. Instead, I'd be freezing both you and your power." Artis said with an impish grin. "You'd never even get a chance to fight back."

"There, I believe that problem is settled." Dhalia said. "Now, let's get on with this."

_"Trace the ties that last forever/Connect the ones, bound together/And seal the rift of time and space/Let us speak, face to face!" _Perdi chanted, using Amelia as the focal point of her powers. Reyva and Dhalia joined in, using their powers to bring the conversation out of the realm of the mind and into the real world.

An image appeared in midair. Allanya was on her knees in her garden, hard at work. Whistling tunelessly, she didn't see them.

Amelia cleared her throat. Allanya looked up.

"Amelia?"

"Yes."

"Where are you?"

"Melivon, in Altivix."

"Melivon?"

"A city."

"Oh."

"You have some explaining to do."

"...Very well, I suppose you've earned it."

"We've earned it." Dhalia said. The other Classix moved into view. Reyva pulled Nyssa into view as well.

"You're going to tell all of us everything, and you're going to tell us now." Amelia said.

"I-" Her eyes fixed on Nyssa. "Sasha!"

"You lost the right to call me by name a long time ago."

"Sasha..."

"I've kept my promise! I've done my best to protect and guide everyone who's come to Altivix, even when I can only help by night! You still haven't kept your end of the bargain!" Energy started to flare out from Nyssa, pulsing in time with her anger. "I've done exactly what you asked for ten thousand years! But you still haven't done your part!"

"Sasha..."

"You still haven't cured me! You just imprisoned me! Amelia's the one who managed to replace the earring that broke, not you. You don't deserve my respect anymore. Where's my father?"

"...Sasha...Your father is dead."

"No! You're lying! Just like you always have!"

"I'm sorry Sasha. He's dead. Your mother killed him."

"NO!"

"Easy there." Artis put her hand on Nyssa's shoulder. She was nearly burning with magical rage, power rippling out from her. "I don't want to have to freeze you, so calm down."

Nyssa took a deep breath, returning to a more normal state. "I'm sorry I almost lost control. I apologize to you girls." She turned to glare at Allanya. "Not to you though. Never to you."

"I'm sorry Sasha. I wanted to help you, but I couldn't..."

"Allanya, I suggest you stop talking to her." Amelia said. "I'm not too thrilled with you either right now, but you have information we need. You're going to tell us what we need to know, and you're going to tell us now. Artis already died because you didn't give us the full story. Next time someone dies I may not be able to bring them back."

Allanya stared at Amelia for a moment, then at Artis. "I- I'm sorry."

"Then tell us the whole story this time."

"...Alright. I'll tell you."

"No more secrets?"

"No more secrets."

"Good."

"You'd better get comfortable. This will take a while."

* * *

"I suppose I should start at the beginning. Six people went to Univix. Arcadia, her sister Wirena, her friend Pelia, myself, Gorman, and his fiance, Kallise. My twin sister."

"Twin sister?" Amelia asked, startled.

"Yes. Kallise was the one who went through the Well of Monsters. She was desperate to get out of Univix. We didn't know she was pregnant at the time."

"So she came out a monster?"

"Yes." Allanya's voice was bitter. "We confronted her. I tried to appeal to the woman inside her. I tried to reach my sister.

"She threw it in my face.

"Before we went to Univix, we each obtained a pair of earrings as the other's birthday present. One black, one white. It was our way of celebrating who we were.

"She took her earrings and threw them at me, saying she wasn't my sister anymore. That she was now Eclipsis, Queen of Monsters.

"I hated her. I hated her for stealing my sister from me. I hated her for what she did next when she started the war. I hated everything about her. But she was still my sister.

"A year later we heard rumors of her children. Gorman and I set out to rescue them. We only managed to grab Sasha before Eclipsis found us. We escaped, but we had to leave her brother behind.

"Gorman wanted his daughter to have a chance at a normal life. We'd discovered that the trip through Univix had altered the earrings. Given them a power of their own. After some hard study, we found a way to use them to control the baby Sasha's powers. Soon she was just another young girl, the earrings transforming her raw power into something she could control." She turned to Nyssa. "You were so happy then."

"Don't speak to me."

"Sasha..."

"Do as she says." Amelia said. "And tell us the rest of the story."

"I... alright."

Allanya turned back to the Classix. "The war dragged on. I had my own daughter a few years later. Her father was killed soon after she was born. All the while Sasha grew. We kept her hidden so that Eclipsis couldn't find her. Gorman did his best to raise her, and I'd come by to visit whenever I could.

"Then, when Sasha was sixteen, something happened. She was out doing something when one of Eclipsis's monsters found her. She fought hard, but her earring broke.

"Each earring was linked to either day or night. Without the day earring, she transformed into the monster you're no doubt familiar with.

"She destroyed the monsters with ease, rampaging around her home. Her father tried to stop her, but he wasn't strong enough. She injured him in the battle. He only survived because the sun went down, returning Sasha to her normal state.

"It was no longer safe for Sasha to remain in the world. I wanted to find a way to make her normal, give her a chance at life. I found Altivix. One night, I brought her with me to the entrance of Altivix, and we passed through. The empty land had only one exit: The Gate of Mortals. The only way to remove the powers given to us by Univix.

But when Sasha tried to pass through, the Gate rejected her. Her powers were not hers to begin with, they belonged to her mother. So the Gate could not remove them. I had to leave her here, with the promise that one day I would bring Eclipsis through so that they might both be restored.

She turned to Sasha. "I am so sorry I haven't been able to keep that promise."

"Save it. I don't want your apologies. Your words are empty."

"Sasha..."

"And what happened next?" Amelia prompted.

"I Gorman brought me back to Univix. Alone, I passed through it. When I emerged I was the Lady of Magic.

"With my new power I created magical beings in every realm so that they could better defend against Eclipsis's monsters. With that, the war escalated. Where previously it had been a matter of hiding from the monsters and attacking when we had the chance, now it became a real war. Fairies, wizards, witches, and pixies battled dragons, chimera, serpents, and beasts. We began to push Eclipsis back.

"She made her last stand at the realm that would become known as Earth. Monsters from across the Dimension gathered there for one final battle. Our forces did the same. And the war entered its final stage.

"The fight for Earth was a war in its own right. Hundreds of battles raged. My daughter fought with the powers my set of earrings gave her until she had to stop to give birth to her own children. This war had gone for far too long. It was time to end this.

"Eclipsis's most powerful fighter was her son. Immense, powerful, and resistant to most magic, her was her field general, leading her forces into battle. We, the original magic users, gathered together one last time. Together, we would seal him away.

"We succeeded, though it cost the lives of Pelia and Wirena.

"Arcadia was shattered by the blow of their loss, leaving Gorman and I to confront Eclipsis. Our worst enemy. My sister. The woman he still loved, even with thirty years of war between them.

"He tried to appeal to her, just as I had. He tried to find the woman he loved. She killed him.

"But when she killed him, she seemed to stop. It was as if she couldn't believe what she'd just done. Desperate, I did the only thing I could think of. I opened a portal to Univix and forced us both in.

"I managed a brief message to my daughter, but nothing more. I was trapped in Univix with Eclipsis. The person I hated most in the whole world. My sister." Allanya looked down. "You know the rest."

**A/N: Okay, I think that's enough for one chapter. The rest will have to wait for another day. I hope to see you all there.**


	17. Stars

**Disclaimer: I don't own Winx Club.**

**Okay, we're done with explanations, back story, and monologues for a while. Everyone happy? Good. Yeah, I'm not exactly thrilled with how the last few chapters turned out either. To much info, not enough emotion or personality. This one should fix that though.**

**Alright then, let's get on with the story.**

"So Eclipsis, Kallise, is my distant aunt?" Amelia asked.

"Yes, and Sasha is your cousin, many times removed." Allanya replied.

"That explains why I was able to sense her over such long distances at least. Is there anything else we should know about her?"

"I've told you everything I can."

"Then this conversation is over." Amelia said.

"Wait." Allanya turned to the still scowling Nyssa. "Sasha."

Nyssa turned her head away from Allanya with a slight snort of disapproval.

"Sasha, I just- I would have saved you. I would have. But I can't leave here. My powers bind me to this place."

"Would have." Nyssa turned back to Allanya. "You didn't. I don't care about 'would have.'"

"Just... remember that I tried. Please."

"I'm not going to make any more promises to you. I've already made too many."

"I... I understand." Allanya turned away, tears glittering in her eyes.

"Perdi, end it." The image winked out of existence as the spell ended.

A silence fell over the six girls as the last light of day faded.

"Alright, time to get some sleep." Dhalia said. "Tomorrow we can start our search for Eclipsis."

* * *

The girls wound up in a trio of rooms on the second floor of the hospital. wordlessly, Reyva and Dhalia took the first one.

"I should keep watch over Nyssa." Artis said. "I'm the only one who can stop her if something goes wrong."

"No. You're going to stay with Perdi." Amelia said.

"Why?"

"Because if you're watching Nyssa you'll be up all night. You need to sleep."

"And you don't?"

"I don't think I'll be able to tonight."

"Are you going to look for Eclipsis again?"

"No. That power doesn't work here. Part of it's the magic in the air here. Part of it's Nyssa. I keep picking up her instead of Eclipsis."

"Then what do you plan to do?"

Amelia's only answer was a small, sad smile.

"Right. I'll be with Perdi if you need me."

"Still not-?"

"No. I'm waiting for a good moment. Maybe after this is all over."

"Or you could do it now." Artis simply stared at Amelia. "Or not."

"Good night Amelia."

"Good night Artis."

* * *

Nyssa lay in her bed, completely unable to sleep. She'd spent the last ten millennia awake during the night. It wasn't exactly an easy habit to break. She sighed. Slowly shifting her weight so as not to make noise, she got out of bed. Quietly so as not to wake Amelia, she padded across the wood floor to the small balcony outside.

The stars were out in their multitudes tonight, just like every other night. Leaning against the railing, she stared up at them. They'd been her friends and companions ever since her earring broke, all those eons ago. In many ways they were just like she had been, small, soft, and doomed to only be seen at night. Overwhelmed by the blazing fury and power of the sun, forced to hide in the dark.

"Couldn't sleep?" Nyssa jumped at the sound of Amelia's voice.

"What are you doing up?" She asked, turning to face the other girl.

"At the moment, nothing."

"You should go back to bed. You need sleep."

"And you don't?"

"I haven't truly slept in ten thousand years. I have no idea what I need."

"In more ways than one."

"...You are far too good at reading people."

"Artis is even better."

"You're right. I don't know what I'm doing anymore." She said, turning to look at the stars again. "I've spent my entire time in Altivix struggling with myself. Attempting to undo all the damage I'd done. Now, I'm free. I don't know what to do with myself."

"Come with us."

"Right. Dhalia and Reyva both hate me. And why not? I spent the last week terrorizing the five of you."

"Artis doesn't hate you. And neither do I." Amelia paused for a moment, then continued. "I don't think Perdi does either."

Nyssa grunted in acceptance. Then she turned back to Amelia. "Why don't you hate me? Why doesn't Artis hate me? It's because of me that she died."

"Artis is... complicated. She's one of the most selfless people I've ever met. You do whatever you want to her, and she can probably still find it in her heart to forgive you. That is, until you go after the people she cares about. That's when she holds a grudge."

"So? Because of me, all of you except Perdi were beaten and captured, and Perdi was severely injured. I've attacked the people she cares about. Why doesn't she hate me?"

"I don't know, but if I had to guess I'd say it's because she understands some of what you went through."

"What?"

"She's no stranger to being controlled by rage, and she spent a hundred years trapped with no one but herself. I think you may have more in common with her than you realize."

"Maybe." Nyssa stared at Amelia. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Why don't you hate me? You certainly seemed to hate me when Artis died."

"You seem very eager for everyone to hate you."

Nyssa turned back to the stars, saying nothing.

"You should come with us. Help us in our mission."

"You don't want me. I'm a monster."

"Not anymore, you're not."

"I've spent thousands of years spreading misery and chaos. It doesn't matter what you say. I'm a monster, whatever form I take."

"You're only a monster if you choose to be." Amelia stepped closer. "Be better. Be you."

Nyssa whirled to face Amelia, their noses almost touching. "Don't you get it?" She demanded. "Don't you understand? I have the blood of _thousands_ on my hands! If I didn't kill them, then they died because of me! You met me less than a week ago. I've caused three deaths in that time, two of them permanent! I'm a monster, and I always will be."

"Compared to me, you're an innocent. The blood of millions is on my hands, and all because of a single decision I made. I've devoted myself to doing whatever I can to fix my mistake. You've done the same. You're no more a monster than I am."

"The situations aren't the same."

"Then make them the same. Do something to make up for your mistakes." Amelia turned around and started walking back to her bed. "Sometimes that's all you can do." She said, half to herself.

Nyssa watched as the other girl slid back into her bed before turning to gaze at the stars again. So much like her they were, glittering in the night. They appeared calm, cool, and gentle, but at its heart each was just a raging inferno of self-destruction. The stars. Each a tiny light in the dark.

She sighed. So be it. She would find her own light in the dark.

**A/N: Ah, there's the Sasha/Nyssa we know and love. Cold, unforgiving, and more than a little self-destructive. She just hasn't been herself the last couple chapters. **

**Well, that's it for now. See you all next time.**


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